The coral island

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251

IS.i3.

;hAr ^^/^^'^>^^^

("^ r^^^3n^<^

CORAL ISLAND.

^ lale ot the Dnriflc ©«an.

f

THE

COEAL ISLAND:

M. 5Bale jof the ^uxUt ©aan.

BY

ROBEET MICHAEL BALLANTYNE,

AXnHOB OV "HUDBOV'S sat ; OB, BVEBT-DAT LITK IN THX WILDS OF NORTH AMSBICA;
"SKOW-FLAKBS AND BUH-BBAJIB ; OB, THB TOmrO FUB-TBAPBBfl ; "
"xmOAVA: A TALK 07 THB E8QUIICAVX," BTa, BTC.

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY DALZIEL.

3Bc0nb0tt:

THOMAS NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW,

EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.
1884.

V

"^uUu,

-M-

I WAS a boy when I went through the wonderful
adventures herein set down. With the memory of
my boyish feelings strong upon me. I present my
book specially to boys, in the earnest hope that they
may derive valuable information, much pleasure,
great profit, and unbounded amusement from its
pages.

One word more. If there is any boy or man who
loves to be melancholy and morose, and who cannot
enter with kindly sympathy into the regions of fun.
let me seriously advise him to shut my book and put
it away. It is not meant for him.

RALPn ROVBR.

^i^t jof 3EUtt0trati0n0.

-♦♦-

LEAVING FOR THE MUD PLATS,"

Frontispiece

A OOBAL ISLAND,

Vignette

SLOWLY RBCOVBRINa, ..

24

A DREADFUL ADYENTURX,

76

A SADDENING DISCOVERY,

136

HELD AS IN A VICE, . .

266

THE DYING PIRATE,

..336

A TERRIBLE SURPRISE,

352

^0ttt-etttjef*

-♦•-

CHAPTER L

Tlie beginning— My eariy llfiB and character— I thint for adventiire In fsralgn

lands and go to aea, 8

CHAPT£U IL

The departure— The aea — ^My eompaniona— Some account of the wonderM

sights we saw on fhe great deep— A dreadftd stonn and a frightfal wrecks .. 1£

CHAPTER IIL

The Coral Island- Onr first cogitations after landing, and the result of them
— We oonelnde that the island is vninhablted, SS

CHAPTER IV.

We examine into our personal property, and make a happy discorery— Onr
island described— Jack proves himself to be learned and sagacious above
his fellows— Curious discoveries— Natural lemouade! 80

CHAPTER V

Morning, and cogitations connected therewith— We luxuriate in the sea, try
our diving powers, and make enchanting excursions among the coral groves
at the bottom of the ocean— The wonders of the deep enlarged upon, 47

CHAPTER VI.

An excursion into the interior, in which we make many valuable and interest -
ing discoveries— We get a dreadM fMght— The bread-firnit tree— Wonder •
fkil pncnUarity of some of the firuit-ferees— Signs of former inhabitants. 66

CHAPTER VIL

Jack's ingenuity— We get into difficulties about fishing, and get out of them
by a method which gives us a cold bath— Horrible encounter with a shark, A8

CHAPTER VIII.

The beantles of the bottom of the sea tempt Peterkhi to dive— How he did
it— More dlfflcnltieB overcome— The water garden— Curious creatures of
the 9e»- The tank— Candles missed very much, and the candle-nut tree

Vi CONTENTS.

diBCOTvred— Wonderftil account of Peterkio's first Toyage— Cloth found
growing on a tree— A plan projjectcd, and arms prepared for offisnce and
defence— A dreadftil cry, 79

CHAPTER IX

Prepare for a Jonmey ronnd the Idand— Sagacious reflections— Mysterious
appearances and startling occurrences, ^ 100

CHAPTER X.

Make discorery of many excellent roots and fruits— The resources of the
Coral Island gradually unfolded— The banian-tree— Another tree which is
supported by natural planks— Water-fowl found— A very remarkable dis-
corery, and a very peculiar murder— We luxuriate on the fot of flie land, 110

CHAPTER XL

EfliBcts of orer-eating, and reflections thereon- Humble advice regarding
cold water— The "horrible cry'* accounted for— The curious birds called
penguins— Peculiarity of the oocoa-nnt palm— Questions on the formation
of coral islands— Mysterious footsteps— Strange discoveries and sad sights, 12S

CHAPTER XIL

Something wrong with the tank— Jack's wisdom and Peterkin's impertinence
— Wonderftal behaviour of a crab— Good wishes for those who dwell tar
from the sea— Jack commences to build a little boat, 189

CHAPTER XIIL

Notable discover} at the spouting difb— The mysterious green monster ex-
plained — We are thrown into unutterable terror by the Idea that Jack is
drowned— The Diamond Cave, 148

CHAPTER XIV.

Strange peculiarity of the tides— Also of the twilight— Peterkin's remarkable
conduct in embracing a little pig and killing a big sow— Sage remarks on
jesting— Also on love, 169

CHAPTER XV.

Doat-building extraordinary— Peterkin tries his hand at cookery and fads
most signally— The boat finished— Curious conversation with the cat, and
other matters, 171

CHAPTER XVL

The boat launched- We visit the coral reef— The great breaker that never
goes down— Coral bisects— The way in which coral islands are made-
The boat's sail— We tax our ingenuity to form fish-hooks— Some of the
fish we saw— And a monstrous whale— Wonderftil shower of little flah—
Water-spouts, ^ U8

CONTENTS. VU

CHAPTEB XVIL

ftf«

k monater ware and its coiueqiienoes— The boat lost and fonnd— Peterkin*8
terrible accident— Supplies of fbod for a voyage in the boat— We visit
Penguin Island, and are amased beyond measure— Account oi the penguins, 194

CHAPTER XVIIL

An awful storm and its consequences— Narrow escape — A rock proves a sure
foundation— A fearfU night and a bright morning— Deliverance from danger, 211

CHAPTER XIX.

Sioemaking— The even tenor of our way suddenly interrupted— An un-
expected visit and an appalling battle— We all become warriors, and Jack
proves himself to be a hero, 320

CHAPTER XX

Intercourse with tiie savages— Cannibalism prevented— The slain are buried
and the survivors depart, leaving us again alone on our Coral Island, 286

CHAPTER XXL

Sagacious and moral remarks in regard to life — ^A sail I— An unexpected
salute— The end of the black cat— A terrible dive— An incautious proceed-
ing and a frightful catastrophe, 244

CHAPTER XXIL

I fiiU into tiie hands of pirates— How they treated me, and what I said to them
—The result of the whole ending in a melancholy separation and in a most
unexpected gift, ; 2M

CHAPTER XXIIL

Bloody BiU— Dark surmises— A strange sail, and a strange crew, and a still
stranger cargo— New reasons for fiivonring missionaries— A murderous
massacre, and thoughts thereon, 269

CHAPTER XXIV.

Bloody Bin is communicative and sagacious— Unpleasant prospects— Re-
trospective meditations interrupted by volcanic agency— Tlie pirates ne-
gotiate with a Fecjee chief— Various etceteras that are calculated to sur-
prise and horrify, 288

CHAPTER XXV.

Itae Sandal-wood party- Native children's games, somewhat surprising— des-
perate amusements suddenly and fatally brought to a close — An old friend
recognised— News— Romata's ma/i conduct 80]

viil CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXVL

Mischief brewing— My blood Ib made to ran cold— EtD oonsiiltatloBs and
wicked reaolTea— Bloody Bill attempts to do good and fUls— The attack-
Wholesale murder— The flight— The escape, 816

CHAFTEB XXVIL
Refledtons— The wonnded man— The squall- True consolation— Death 881

CHAPTER XXVni.

Alone on the deep— Necessity the mother of invention- A valuable book dis-
ooyered- Natural phenomenon— A bright day in my history 844

CHAPTER XXIX.

ne effect of a cannon-shot— A happy reunion of a somewhat moist nature
—Retrospects and ezplanaUons— An awftil dive— New plans— The last of
the Coral Island 861

CHAPTER XX2L

The voyage— The idand, and a consultation in which danger is scouted as
a thing unworthy of consideration— Rats and cats— The native teac^pr
—Awftil revelations— Wonderftil effects of Christianity, 866

CHAPTER XXXI.

A strange and bloody battle— The lion bearded in his den— Frightful scenes
of cruelty, and fears for the ftiture, 888

CHAPTER XXXIL

An unexpected discovery, and a bold, recess defiance, with its consequences
—Flans of escape, and heroic resolves, 400

CHAPTER XXXllL

The flight— The pursoit— Despair and its results— The lion bearded in his den
again— Awful danger threatened and wonderfiilly averted— A terrific storm, 41 1

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Imprisonment — Sinking hopea— Unexpected fireedom to more than one, and
in more senses than one, 496

CHAPTER XXXV.
Oonduslon, ~ - — ' 48C

THE COEAL ISLAND.

-M-

CHAPTER I.

The beginning—- My early life and character— I tbirat for adyentnre in foreign Undi

and go to sea.

RoYiNO has always been, and still is,, my ruling pas-
sion, the joy of my heart, the very sunshine of my
existence. In childhood, in boyhood, and in man's
estate, I have been a rover; not a mere rambler
among the woody glens and upon the hill-tops of my
own native land, but an enthusiastic rover throughout
the length and breadth of the wide wide world.

It was a wild, black night of howling storm, the
night in which I was bom on the foaming bosom of
the broad Atlantic Ocean. My &>ther was a sea-
captain; my grandfather was a sea-captain ; my great-
grandfather had been a marine. Nobody could tell
positively what occupation his Mher had followed ;
but my dear mother used to assert that he had been
a midshipman, whose grand&ther, on the mother's

10 THE GOBAL ISLAND.

side, had been an admiral in the royal navy. At
anyrate we knew -that, as &>r back aa our family
could be traced, it had been intimately connected
with the great watery waste. Indeed this was the
case on both sides t)f the house ; for my mother always
went to sea with my father on his long voyages, and
so spent the greater part of her life upon the water.
Thus it was, I suppose, that I came to inherit a
roving disposition. Soon after I was bom, my father,
being old, retired from a seafaring life, purchased a
small cottage in a fishing village on the west coast of
England, and settled down to spend the evening of
his life on the shores of that sea which had for so
many years been his home. It was not long after
this that I began to show the roving spirit that dwelt
within me. For some time paat my infant legs had
been gaining strength, so that I came to be dissatis-
fied with rubbing the skin off my chubby knees by
walking on them, and made many attempts to stand
up and walk like a man; all of which attempts, how-
ever, resulted in my sitting down violently and in
sudden surprise. One day I took advantage of my
dear mother's absence to make another effort; and,
to my joy, I actually succeeded in reaching the door-
step, over which I tumbled into a pool of muddy
water that lay before my father's cottage door. Ah,
how vividly I remember the horror of my poor mother

THE CORAL ISLAND. II

when she found me sweltering in the mud amongst
a group of cackling ducks, and the tenderness with
which she stripped off my dripping clothes and
WEushed my dirty little body ! From this tlln& forth
my rambles became more iGrequent, and, as I grew
older, more distant, until at last I had wandered
&r and near on the shore and in the woods around
our humble dwelling, and did not rest content until
my father bound me apprentice to a coasting vessel,
and let me go to sea.

For some years I was happy in visiting the sea-
ports, and in coasting along the shores of my native
land. My Christian name was Balph, and my
comrades added to this the name of Bover, in con-
sequence of the passion which I always evinced for
travelling. Hover was not my real name, but as I
never received any other I came at last to answer to
it as naturally as to my proper name ; and, as it is
not a bad one, I see no good reason why I should
not introduce myself to the reader as Balph Bover.
My shipmates were kind, good-natured fellows, and
they and I got on very well together. They did,
indeed, very frequently make game of and banter me,
but not unkindly ; and I overheard them sometimes
saying that Balph Bover was a ** queer, old-fisushioned
fellow.'' This, I must confess, surprised me much,
and I pondered the saying long, but could come at

12 THE CORAL ISLAND.

no satisfactory conclusion as to that wherein my
old-fisLshionedness lay. It is true I was a quiet lad,
and seldom spoke except when spoken to. Moreover^
I never could understand the jokes of my companions
even when they were explained to me: which dulness
in apprehension occasioned me much grief ; however,
I tried to make up for it by smiling and looking pleased
when I observed that they were laughing at some wit-
ticism which I had failed to detect I was also very
fond of inquiring into the nature of things and their
causes, and often feU into fits of abstraction while
thus engaged in my mind. But in all this I saw
nothing that did not seem to be exceedingly natural,
and could by no means understand why my comrades
should call me " an old'&shioned fellow.''

Now, while engaged in the coasting trade, I fell in
with many seamen who had travelled to almost every
quarter of the globe; and I freely confess that my
heart glowed ardently within me as they recounted
their wild adventures in foreign lands, — ^the dreadful
storms they had weathered, the appalling dangers
they had escaped, the wonderful creatures they had
seen both on the land and in the sea, and the inter*
esting lands and strange people they had visited.
But of all the places of which they told me^ none
captivated and charmed my imagination so much as
the Coral Islands of the Southern Seaa They told

THE OORAL ISLAND. 13

me of thousands of beautifdl fertile islands that had
been ftrmed by a small creature called the coral in-
sect^ where summer reigned nearly all the year
round, — ^where the trees were laden with a constant
harvest of luxuriant finiit, — ^where the climate was
ahnost perpetually delightful, — ^yet where, strange to
say, men were wild, bloodthirsty savages, excepting
in those favoured isles to which the gospel of our
Saviour had been conveyed These exciting accounts
had so great an effect upon my mind, that, when I
reached the age of fifteen, I resolved to make a voyage
to the South Seaa

I had no little difficulty at first in prevailing on my
dear parents to let me go ; but when I urged on my
father that he would never have become a great cap-
tain had he remained in the coasting trade, he saw
the truth of what I said, and gave his consent My
dear mother, seeing that my father had made up his
mind, no longer offered opposition to my wishes.
" But oh, Ealph,'^ she said, on the day I bade her
adieu, " come back soon to us, my dear boy, for we
are getting old now, Balph, and may not have many
years to live."

I will not take up my reader's time with a minute
account of all that occurred before I took my final
leave of my dear parenta Suffice it to say, that my
Geither placed me under the charge of an old mess-

14 THE CORAL ISLAND.

mate of his own, a merchant captain, who was on the
point of sailing to the South Seas in his own ship,
the Arrow. My mother gave me her blessing and a
small Bible; and her last request was, that I would
never forget to read a chapter every day, and say my
prayere; which I promised, with tears in my eyes,
that I would certainly do.

Soon afterwards I went on board the Arrow, which
was a fine large ship, and set sail for the islands of
the Pacific Ocean.

THE CORAX ISLAND. 15

CHAPTER n.

Ilia departnre>-The sea—My oompanions— Some aoeonnt of the wonderital dghts we
aav on the great deep— A dreadM storm and a frightftil wreck.

It was a bright, beautiful, warm day when our ship
spread her canvass to the breeze; and sailed for the
regions of the south. Oh, how my heart bounded
with delight as I listened to the merry chorus of the
sailors, while they hauled at the ropes and got in the
anchor! The captain shouted — ^the men ran to obey
— ^the noble ship bent over to the breeze, and the
shore gradually faded from my view, while I stood
looking on with a kind of feeling that the whole was
a delightful dream.

The first thing that struck me as being different
from, anything I had yet seen during my short ca-
reer on the sea, was the hoisting of the anchor on
deck, and lashing it firmly down witii ropes, as if we
had now bid adieu to the land for ever, and would
require its services no mora

" There, lass,'* cried a broad-shouldered jack-tar,
giving the fluke of the anchor a hearty slap with his
hand after the housing was completed — " there, lass^
take a good nap now, for we shan't ask you to kiss
the mud again for many a long day to come!''

16 THE CORAL ISLAND.

And so it was. That anchor did not " kiss the
mud'^ for many long days afterwards; and when at
last it did, it was for the last time !

There were a number of boys in the ship, but two
of them were my special favourites. Jack Martin
was a tall, strapping, broad-shouldered youth of
eighteen, with a handsome, good-humoured, firm &uce.
He had had a good education, was dever and hearty
and lion-like in his actions, but mild and quiet is
disposition. Jack was a general favourite, and had
a peculiar fondness for me. My other companion
was Peterkin Gay. He was little, quick, funny,
deddedly mischievous, and about fourteen years old
But Peterkin's mischief was abnost always harmless,
else he could not have been so much beloved as he
waa

" Hallo ! yoimgster,^' cried Jack Martin, giving me
a slap on the shoulder, the day I joined the ship,
" come below and 111 show you your berth. You
and I are to be mess-mates^ and I think we shall be
good friends, for I like the look o' you.''

Jack was right. He and I and Peterkin after-
wards became the best and stanchest friends that
ever tossed together on the stormy wavea

I shall say little about the first part of our vojrage.
We had the usual amount of rough weather and calm;
also we saw many strange fish rolling in the sea,

THB OOSAL ISLAND. 17

and I was greatly delighted one day by seeing a
shoal of flying fish dart out of the water and skim
through the air about a foot above the sur&oe. They
were pursued by dolphins, which feed on them, and
one flying-fish in its tenor flew over the ship, struck
on the rigging, and fell upon the deck. Its wings
were just fins elongated, and we foimd that they
could never fly £ar at a time, and never mounted into
the air like birds, but skimmed along the surface of
the sea. Jack and I had it for dinner, and found it
remarkably good.

When we approached Cape Horn, at the southern
extremity of America*, the weather became very cold
and stormy, and the sailors began to tell stories about
the furious gales and the dangers of that terrible cape.

" Cape Horn,'' said one, " is the most horrible head-
land I ever doubled. IVe sailed round it twice
already, and both times the ship was almost bloVd
out o' the water.''

"An* Fve been round it once," said another, an' that
time the sails were split, and the ropes frozen in the
blocks, so that they wouldn't work, and we wos all
but lost"

" An' I've been round it five times," cried a third,

" an' every time wos wuss thaix another, the gales wos

so tree-mendous !"

" And IVe been round it no times at all," cried

2

18 THE GOSiX ISLAND.

Peterkin, with an impudent wink of his eye, ''an' that
time I wos bloVd inside out I"

Nevertheless, we passed the dreaded cape without
much rough weather, and, in the course of a few weeks
afterwards, were sailing gently, before a warm tropical
breeze, over the Pacific Ocean. Thus we proceeded
on our voyage, sometimes bounding merrily before a
fair breeze, at other times floating cahnly on the
glassy wave and fishing for the curious inhabitants
of the deep, — all of which, although the sailors thought
little of them, were strange, and interesting, and very
wonderfiil to me.

At last we came among the Coral Islands of the
Pacific, and I shall never forget the delight with
which I gazed, — ^when we chanced to pass one, — at
tiie pure, white, dazzling shores, and the verdant
palm-trees, which looked bright and beautiful in the
sunshine. And often did we three long to be landed
on one, imagining that we should certainly find
perfect happiness there ! Our wish was granted
sooner than we expected.

One night, soon after we entered the tropics, an
awful storm burst upon our ship. The first squall of
wind carried away two of our masts; and left only
the foremast standing. Even this, however, was
more than enough, for we did not dare to hoist a rag
of sail on it For five days the tempest raged in all

THB CORAL ISLAND. 19

its fhry. Everything was swept off the decks except
one small boat The steersman was lashed to the
wheel, lest he should be washed away, and ^we all
gave ourselves up for lost. The captain said that
he had no idea where we were, as we had been
blown £ar out of our course ; and we feared much
that we might get among the dangerous coral reefs
which are so numerous in the Pacifia At day-break
on the sixth morning of the gale we saw land ahead.
It was an island encircled by a reef of coral on which
the waves broke in fury. There was calm water
within this reei^ but we could only see one narrow
opening into ii For this opening we steered, but,
ere we reached it, a tremendous wave broke on our
stem, tore the rudder completely off, and lefb us at
the mercy of the winds and waves.

" It^s all over with us now, lads,'' said the captain
to the men; " get the boat ready to launch; we shall
be on the rocks in less than half an hour/'

The men obeyed in gloomy silence, for they felt
that there was little hope of so small a boat living in
such a sea.

" Come boys,'' said Jack Martin, in a grave tone,
to me and Peterkin, as we stood on the quarterdeck
awaiting our fate ; — " Come boys, we three shall
stick together. Tou see it is impossible that the
little boat can reach the shore, crowded with men.

20 THE OOBiX ISLAin).

It will be sure to upset, so I mean rather to trust
myself to a large oar. I see through the telescope
that the ship will strike at the tail of the ree^ where
the waves break into the quiet water inside; so, if we
manage to ding to the oar till it is driven over the
breakers, we may perhaps gain the shore. What say
you ; will you join me V

We gladly agreed to foUow Jack, for he inspired
us with confidence, although I could perceive, by
the sad tone of his voice, that he had little hope;
and, indeed, when I looked at the white waves that
lashed the reef and boiled against the rocks as if in
ftsrj, I felt that there was but a step between us and
death. My heart sank within me ; but at that mo-
ment my thoughts turned to my beloved mother, and I
remembered those words, which were among the last
that she said to me — "Ralph, my dearest child, always
remember in the hour of danger to look to your Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ He alone is both able
and willing to save your body and your souL" So I
felt much comforted when I thought thereon.

The ship was now very near the rocka The
men were ready with the boat, and the captain beside
them giving orders, when a tremendous wave came
towards u& We three ran towards the bow to lay
hold of our oar, and had barely reached it when the
wave fell on the deck with a crash like thunder. At

THE COILIL ISLAND. 21

the same moment the ship struck, the foremast broke
off close to the deck and went over the side, carrying
the boat and men along with it. Our oar got en-
tangled with the wreck, and Jack seized an axe to
cut it free, but, owing to the motion of the ship, he
missed the cordage and struck the axe deep into the
oar. Another wave, however, washed it dear of the
wreck. We all seized hold of it, and the next in-
stant we were struggling in the wild sea. The last
thing I saw was the boat whirling in the surf, and
aU the sailors tossed into the foaming waves. Then
I became insensible. .

On recovering from my swoon, I found myself
lying on a bank of soft grass, under the shelter of an
overhanging rock, with Peterkin on his knees by my
side, tenderly bathing my temples with water, and
endeavouring to stop the blood that flowed from a
wound in my forehead.

22 THE CORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER m.

The Coral Island-- Oor flnt oogitations after landing, and the resntt of them— We oon-

dnde that the ialand is uninhabited.

There is a strange and peculiar sensation experienced
in recovering from a state of insensibility, which is
almost indescribable ; a sort of dreamy, confosed con-
sciousness; a half-waking half-sleeping condition,
accompanied with a feeling of weariness, which, how-
ever, is by no means disagreeable. As I slowly re-
covered and heard the voice of Peterkin inquiring
whether I felt better, I thought that I must have
overslept myself, and should be sent to the mast-head
for being lazy; but before I could leap up in haste,
the thought seemed to vanish suddenly away, and I
fmcied that I must have been ilL Then a balmy
breeze fanned my cheek, and I thought of home, and
the garden at the back of my &ther^8 cottage, with
its luxuriant flowers, and the sweet-scented honey-
suckle that my dear mother trained so carefully upon
the trellised porch. But the roaring of the surf put
these delightful thoughts to flight, and I was back
again at sea, watching the dolphins and the flying-
fish, and reefing topsails off the wild and stormy Cape
Horn. Qradually the roar of the surf became louder

THE COBAL ISLAND. 23

and more distmct. I thought of being wrecked far
far away £rom my native land, and slowly opened my
eyes to meet those of my companion Jack, who, with
a look of intense anxiety, was gazing into my &ce.

" Speak to us» my dear Ralph," whispered Jack,
tenderly, " are you better now ?"

I smiled and looked up, saying, ''Better; why, what
do you mean. Jack? I'm quite welL''

'' Then what are you shamming for, and Mghten-
ing us in this wayf ' said Peterkin, smiling through
his tears; for the poor boy had been really under the
impression that I was dying.

I now raised myself on my elbow, and putting my
hand to my forehead, found that it had been cut
pretty severely, and that I had lost a good deal of
blood.

" Come, come, Ralph," said Jack, pressing me gently
Vackward, "lie down, my boy; you're not right yet.
Wet your lips with this water, it's cool and clear as
crystal I got it from a spring dose at hand. There
now, don't say a word, hold your tongue," said he,
seeing me about to speak. " 111 tell you all about it,
but you must not utter a syllable till you have rested
welL"

"Oh! don't stop him from speaking, Jack," said
Peterkin, who, now that his fears for my safety were
removed, busied himself in erecting a shelter of broken

24 THE COEAL ISLAND.

branchefl in order to protect me &om the wind ; which,
however, was almost unnecessary, for the rock beside
which I had been laid completely broke the force of
the gale. "Let him speak, Jack; it's a comforfc^ to
hear that he's alive, after lying there stiff and. white
and sulky for a whole hour, just like an Egyptian
mummy. Never saw such a fellow as you are, Ralph ;
always up to mischief TouVe almost knocked out
all my teeth and more than half choked me, and now
you go shamming dead! It's very wicked of you,
indeed it is."

While Peterkin ran on in this style, my faculties
became quite dear again, and I began to understand
my position. '^What do you mean by saying I half
choked you, Peterkin?" sjaid I.

"What do I mean? Is English not your mother
tongue, or do you want me to repeat it in French,
by way of making it clearer? Don't you remember — "

" I remember nothing," said I, interrupting him,
"after we were thrown into the sea."

"Hush, Peterkin," said Jack, "you're exciting
Ralph with your nonsense. Ill explain it to you.
Tou recollect that after the ship struck, we three
sprang over the bow into the sea; well, I noticed
that the oar struck your head and gave you that cut
on the brow, which nearly stunned you, so that you
grasped Peterkin round the neck without knowing

THE CORAL ISLAND. 25

apparently what you were about In doing so you
pushed the telescope, — ^which you dung to as if it had
been your life, — against Peterkm's mouth — "

''Pushed it against his mouth!'' interrupted Peter-
kin, "say crammed it down his throat. Why, there's
a distinct mark of the brass rim on the back of my
gullet at this moment!"

"Well, well, be that as it may," continued Jack,
" you dung to him, Balph, till I feared you really
would choke him ; but I saw that he had agood hold of
the oar, so I exerted myself to the utmost to push
you towards the shore, which we luckily reached
without much trouble, for the water inside the reef
is quite calm."

"But the captain and crew, what of them?" I in-
quired anxiously.

Jack shook his head.

"Are they lost?"

" No, they are not lost, I hope, but I fear there is
not much chance of their being saved The ship
strudc at the very tail of the island on which we are
cast. When the boat was tossed into the sea it for-
tunatdy did not upset, although it shipped a good
deal of water, and all the men managed to scramble
into it; but before they could get the oars out the gale
carried them past the point and away to leeward of
the island. After we landed I saw them endeavour-

26 THB CORAL IfiLAKD.

ing to pull towards us, but as they had only one pair
of oars out of the eight that belong to the boat, and
as the wind was blowing right in their teeth, they
gradually lost ground. Then I saw them put about
and hoist some sort of sail, — a blanket, I fancy, for it
was too small for the boat, — and in half an hour they
were out of sight."

"Poor fellows,'' I murmured sorrowfully.

" But the more I think about it, I've better hope
of them," continued Jack, in a more cheerful tona
'^You see, Ralph, I've read a great deal about these
South Sea Islands, and I know that in many places
they are scattered about in thousands over the sea^
80 they're almost sure to fiaJl in with one of them be-
fore long."

"I'm sure I hope so," said Peterkin, earnestly.
" But what has become of the wreck, Jack? I saw you
clambering up the rocks there while I was watching
Ralph. Did you say she had gone to pieces?"

"No, she has not gone to pieces, but she has gone
to the bottom," replied Jack. "As I l»id before, she
struck on the tail of the island and stove in her bow,
but the next breaker swung her dear, and she floated
away to leeward. The poor fellows in the boat made a
hard struggle to reach her, but long before they came
near her she filled and went down. It was after she
foundered that I saw them trying to pull to the island."

THE CORAL ISLAND. 27

There was a long silence after Jack ceased speak-
ing, and I have no doubt that each was revolving in
his mind our extraordinary position. For my part
I cannot say that my reflections were very agreeable.
I knew that we were on an island, for Jack had said so,
but whether it was inhabited or not I did not know.
K it should be inhabited, I felt certain, from all I had
heard of South Sea Islanders, that we should be
roasted alive and eaten. K it should turn out to be
uninhabited, I fancied that we should be starved to
death. '*0h V thought I, "if the ship had only stuck on
the rocks we might have done pretty well, for we could
have obtained provisions from her, and tools to enable
us to build a shelter, but now — alas! alas! we are
lost!'' These last words I uttered aloud in my dis-
tresa

''Lost! Balph?'' exclaimed Jack, while a smile
overspread his hearty countenanca "Saved, you
should have said. Your cogitations seem to have
taken a wrong road, and led you to a wrong con-
clusion.''

" Do you know what conclusion / have come to?"
said Feterkin. "I have made up my mind that it's
capital, — first rate, — ^the best thing that ever happened
to us, and the most splendid prospect that ever lay
before three jolly young tars. We've got an island
all to ourselves. Well take possession in the name of

28 THE COBAli I8LAin>.

the king; well go and enter the service of its black
Inhabitants. Of course well rise, naturally, to the
top of affidrs. White men always do in savage
countries. You shall be king, Jack ; Balph, prime
minister, and I shall be — "

" The coinrt jester,'' interrupted Jack.

" No," retorted Peterkin, " 111 have no title at aLL
I shall merely accept a highly responsible situation
under government, for you see, Jack, I'm fond of
having an enormous salary and nothing to do."

" But suppose there are no natives?"

" Then well bmld a charming villa, and plant a
lovely garden round it^ stuck all full of the most
splendiferous tropical flowers, and well farm the land,
plant, sow, reap, eat, sleep, and be merry."

"But to be serious," said Jack, assuming a grave
expression of countenance, which I observed always
had the eflect of checking Peterkin's disposition to
make fun of everything, " we are really in rather
an uncomfortable position. If this is a desert island,
we shall have to live very much like the wild beasts,
for we have not a tool of any kind, not even a knifa"

" Yes, we have ihat" said Peterkin, fumbling in
his trousers pocket, from which he drew forth a small
penknife with only one blade, and that was brokea

" Well, that's better than nothing; but come," said
Jack, rising, " we are wasting our time in tdUcmg in-

THB COBAL ISLAND- 29

Btead of domg. You seem well enough to walk now,
Balph, let us see what we have got in our pockets, and
then let us dimb some hill and ascertain what sort
of island we have been cast upon, for, whether good
or bad, it seems likely to be our home for some
time to come.^

80 THE CORAL T8LAKB.

CHAPTER IV.

We examine into oar penonil property, and make a happj diaooTer7->Oiir
idand deaerlbed—Jaok prarea bimaelf to be learned and aacadona above hia iU-
lowa— Cnrlona dlaooreilea— Natural lemonade !

We now seated ourselves upon a rock and began to
examine into our personal property. When we reached
the shore, after being wrecked, my companions had
taken off part of their clothes and spread them out
in the sun to dry, for, although the gale was raging
fiercely, there was not a single doud in the bright
sky. They had also stripped off most part of my
wet clothes and spread them also on the rocks. Hav-
ing resumed our garments, we now searched all our
pockets with the utmost care, and laid their contents
out on a flat stone before us ; and, now that our minds
were fully alive to our condition, it was with no little
anxiety that we turned our several pockets inside out^
in order that nothing might escape ua When all was
collected together we found that our worldly goods
consisted of the following articles: —

First, A small penknife with a single blade broken
off about the middle and very rusty, besides having
two or three notches on its edge. (Peterkin said of
this, with his usual pleasantry, that it would do for a
saw as well as a knife, which was a great advantage.)
Second, An old German-silver pencil-case without any

THB CORAL ISLAND. 81

lead in it Third, A piece of whip-cord about six
yards long. Fourth, A sailmaker's needle of a small
siza Fifth, A ship's telescope, which I happened to
have in my hand at the time the ship struck, and
which I had dung to firmly all the time I was in the
water. Indeed it was with difficulty that Jack got
it out of my grasp when I was lying insensible on
the shore. I cannot understand why I kept such a
firm hold of this telescope. They say that a drown-
ing man will clutch at a straw. Perhaps it may
have been some such feeling in me, for I did not know
that it was in my hand at the time we were wrecked.
However, we felt some pleasure in having it with us
now, although we did not see that it could be of much
use to us, as the glass at the small end was broken
to piecea Our sixth axtide waa a brass ring which
Jack always wore on his little finger. I never under-
stood why he wore it, for Jack was not vain of his ap-
pearance, and did not seem to care for ornaments of
any kind. Pet^kin said "it was in memory of the
girl he left behind him!"' But as he never spoke of
this girl to either of us, I am inclined to think that
Peterkin was either jesting or mistaken. In addition
to these articles we had a little bit of tinder, and
the dothes on our backs. These last were as fol-
lows : —

Each of us had on a pair of stout canvass trousers,
and a pair of sailors* thick shoes. Jack wore a red

82 THB CORAL ISLAND.

flannel shirt, a blue jacket^ and a red Eilmamock
bonnet or night-cap, besides a pair of worsted socks,
and a cotton pocket-handkerchief with sixteen por-
traits of Lord Nelson printed on it^ and a union Jack
in the middle. Feterkin had on a striped flannel shirt,
— which he wore outside his trousers, and belted round
his waist, after the manner of a tunic,— ^d a round
black straw hat. He had no jacket, having thrown
it off just before we were cast into the sea ; but this
was not of much consequence, as the climate of the
island proved to be extremely mild; so much so,
indeed, that Jack and I often preferred to go about
without our jacketa Feterkin had also a pair of
white cotton socks, and a blue handkerchief with
white spots all over it. My own costume consisted
of a blue flannel shirt*, a blue jacket, a black cap, and
a pair of worsted socks, besides the shoes and canvass
trousers aJready mentioned. This was aU we had,
and besides these things we had nothing else ; but,
when we thought of the danger from which we had
escaped, and how much worse off we might have been
had the ship struck on the reef during the night, we
felt very thankful that we were possessed of so much,
although, I must confess, we sometimes wished that
we had had a little more.

While we were examining these things, and talking
about them. Jack suddenly started and exclaimed —

TQK CORAL ISLAIO). 89

" The oar ! we have forgotten the oar,"

" What good will that do us?" said Peterkin ; ** there'a

wood enough on the island to make a thousand oars.''
"Ay, lad," replied Jack, "but there's a bit of hoop

iron at the end of it, and that may be of much use to

us."

"Very true," said I, "let us go fetch it;" and
with that we all three rose and hastened down to the
beach. I still felt a little weak from loss of blood, so
that my companions soon began to leave me behind^
but Jack perceived this, and, with his usual con-
siderate good nature, turned back to help me. This
was now the first time that I had looked well about
me since landing, as the spot where I had been laid
was covered with thick bushes which almost hid the
country from our view. As we now emerged from
among these and walked down the sandy beach to-
gether, I cast my eyes about, and, truly, my heart
glowed within me and my spirits rose at the beautiful
prospect which I beheld on every side. The gale
had suddenly died away, just as if it had blown
furiously till it dashed our ship upon the rocks, and
had nothing more to do after accomplishing that.
The island on which we stood was hilly, and covered
almost everywhere with the most beautiful and richly
coloured trees, bushes, and shrubs, none of which I
knew the names of at that time, except, indeed, the

84 THE GOBAL ISLAND.

cocoa-nut palms, whicli I recognised at once &om the
many pictures that I had seen of them before I left
home. A sandy beach of dazzling whiteness lined
this bright green shore, and upon it there feU a gentle
ripple of the sea. This last astonished me much, for
I recollected that at home the sea used to fall in huge
billows on the shore long after a storm had subsided
But on casting my glance out to sea the cause became
apparent About a mile distant from the shore I
saw the great billows of the ocean rolling like a green
W&31, and falling with a long, loud roar, upon a low
coral reef, where they were dashed into white foam
and flung up in clouds of spray. This spray some-
times flew exceedingly high, and, every here and
there, a beautiful rainbow was formed for a moment
among the fSedling drops. We afterwards found that
this coiul reef extended quite round the island, and
formed a natural breakwater to it. Beyond this the
sea rose and tossed violently from the effSscts of the
storm ; but between the reef and the shore it waa as
cahn and aa smooth as a pond.

My heart was fllled with more delight than 1 can
express at sight of so many glorious objects, and my
thoiights turned suddenly to the contemplation of the
Creator of them alL I mention this the more gladly,
because at that time, I am ashamed to say, I very
seldom thought of my Creator, although I was con-

TKE CORA^L ISLAND. 35

stantiy suirounded by the most beautiful and wonder-
ful of His worka I observed from the expression of
my companion's coimtenance that he too derived
much joy from the splendid scenery, which was all
the more agreeable to us after our long voyage on
the salt sea. There, the breeze was fresh and cold,
but here it was delightfully mild ; and, when a puff
blew off the land, it came laden with the most exqui-
site perfume that can be imagined While we thus
gazed, we were startled by a loud " Huzza 1" from
Peterkin, and, on looking towards the edge of the sea,
we saw him capering and jumping about like a
monkey, and ever and anon tugging with all his
might at something that lay upon the shore.

" What an odd fellow he is, to be sure," said Jack,
taking me by the arm and hurrying forward; " come,
let us hasten to see what it is."

" Here it is, boys, hurrah ! come along. Just what
we want," cried Peterkin, as we drew near, still tug-
ging with all his power. " First rate ; just the very
ticket!"

I need scarcely say to my readers that my com-
panion Peterkin was in the habit of using very
remarkable and peculiar phrases. And I am free to
confess that I did not well understand the meaning
of some of them, — such, for instance, as " the very
ticket ;" but I think it my duty to recount everything

86 THK CORAL I8LAin>.

relating to my adventures with a strict regard to
truthfulness in as far as my memory serves me ; so
I write, as nearly as possible, the exact words that
my companions spoke. I often asked Peterkin to
explain what he meant by " ticket," but he always
answered me by going into fits of laughter. How-
ever, by observing the occasions on which he used it,
I came to understand that 'it meant to show that
something was remarkably good, or fortunate.

On coming up we found that Peterkin was vainly
endeavouring to pull the axe out of the oar, into
which, it wiU be remembered, Jack struck it while
endeavouring to cut away the cordage among which
it had become entangled at the bow of the ship.
Fortunately for us the axe had remained fast in the
oar, and even now, all Peterkin's strength could not
draw it out of the cut.

*' Ah ! that is capital indeed,'' cried Jack, at the
same time giving the axe a wrench that plucked it
out of the tough wood. " How fortunate this is! It
will be of more value to us than a hundred knives,
and the edge is quite new and sharp."

" 111 answer for the toughness of the handle at
any rate," cried Peterkin; " my arms are nearly pulled
out of the sockets. But see here, our luck is great
There is iron on the blade." He pointed to a piece
of hoop iron, as he spoke, which had been nailed

THE COKAL ISLAND. 87

round the blade of the oar to prevent it from split-
ting.

This also was a fortunate discovery. Jack went
down on his knees, and with the edge of the axe
began carefully to force out the naila But as they
were firmly fixed in^ and the operation blunted our
axe, we carried the oar up with us to the place where
we had left the rest of our things, intending to bum
the wood away from the iron at a more convenient
time.

" Now, lads," said Jack, after we had laid it on
the stone which contained our little all, " I propose
that we should go to the tail of the island, where the
ship struck, which is only a quarter of a mile off, and
see if anything else has been thrown ashore. I don't
expect anything, but it is well to see. When we get
back here it will be time to have our supper and
prepare our beds."

"Agreed!" cried Peterkin and I together, as,
indeed, we would have agreed to any proposal that
Jack made ; for, besides his being older and much
stronger and taller than either of us, he was a veiy
clever fellow, and I think would have induced people
much older than himself to choose him for their
leader, especially if they required to be led on a bold
enterprise.

Now, as we hastened along the white beach, which

88 THE CORAL ISLANT>.

shone so brightly in the rays of the setting sun that
our eyes were quite dazzled by its glare, it suddenly
came into Peterkin's head that we had nothing to
eat except the wild berries which grew in profusion
at our feei

** What shall we do, Jack V said he, with a rueful
look ; " perhaps they may be poisonous ! "

"No fear," replied Jack, confidently; "I have
observed that a few of them are not unlike some of
the berries that grow wild on our own native hills.
Besides, I saw one or two strange birds eating them
just a few minutes ago, and what won't kill the birds
won't kill ua But look up there, Peterkin," con-
tinued Jack, pointing to the branched head of a
cocoa-nut palm. ** There are nuts for us in all stages."

" So there are I" cried Peterkin, who being of a
very unobservant nature had been too much taken
up with other things to notice anything so high above
his head as the &uit of a palm tree. But, whatever
faults my young comrade had, he could not be blamed
for want of activity or animal spirits. Indeed, the
nuts had scarcely been pointed out to him when he
bounded up the tail stem of the tree like a squirrel,
and, in a few minutes, returned with three nuts, each
as large as a man's fist.

" You had better keep them till we return," said
Jack. " Let us finish our work before eating."

THE COBAL ISLAND. 89

''So be it, captain, go ahead,'' cried Feterkin,
thrustmg the nuts into his trousers pocket '* In fact
I don't want to eat just now, but I would give a
good deal for a drink. Oh that I could find a spring!
but I don't see the smallest sign of one hereabouts.
I say, Jack, how does it happen that you seem to be
up to everything ? You have told us the names of
half-a-dozen trees ab*eady, and yet you say that you
were never in the South Seas befora''

" Vm not up to everything, Peterkin, as youll find
out ere long,'' replied Jack, with a smile ; " but I
have been a great reader of books of travel and
adventure all my life, and that has put me up to a
good many things that you are, perhaps, not acquainted
with."

'' Oh, Jack, that's all humbug. If you be^ to
lay everything to the credit of books, 111 quite lose
my opinion of you," cried Peterkin, with a look of
contempt. **IVe seen a lot o' feUows that were
always poring over books, and when they came
to try to do anything, they were no better than
baboons!"

" You are quite right," retorted Jack; " and I have
seen a lot of fellows who never looked into books at
all, who knew nothing about anything except the
things they had actually seen, and very little they
knew even about these. Indeed, some were so igno-

40 THE COBAL ISLANB.

rant that they did not know that oocoa nuts grew
on coooarnut trees!''

I could not re£tain from laughing at this rebuke,
for there was much truth in it, as to Peterkin's igno-
rance.

" Humph ! maybe you're right," answered Feterkin ;
" but I would not give tv/ppence for a man of books,
if he had nothing else in him."

"Neither would I," said Jack; "but that's no
reason why you should run books down, or think
less of me for having read them. Suppose, now,
Feterkin, that you wanted to build a ship, and I were
to give you a long and particular account of the way
to do it, would not that be very useful ?"

" No doubt of it," said Feterkin, laughing.

" And suppose I were to write the account in a
letter instead of telling you in words, would that be
less useful ?"

" Well — ^no, perhaps not."

" Well, suppose I were to print it, and send it to
you in the form of a book, would it not be as good
and useful as ever?"

" Oh, bother! Jack, you're a philosopher, and that h
worse than. anything!" cried Feterkin, with a look of
pretended horror.

" Very well, Feterkin, we shall see," returned Jack,
halting under the shade of a cocoa-nut tree. '^ You

THE GOKAL ISJ.AND. 41

said you were thirsty just a minute ago; now, jump
up that tree and bring down a nut, — ^not a ripe one,
bring a green, unripe one."

Feterkin looked surprised, but, seeing that Jack
was in earnest, he obeyed.

''Now, cut a hole in it with your penknife, and
clap it to your mouth, old fellow," said Jack.

Peterkin did as he was directed, and we both burst
into uncontrollable laughter at the changes that in-
stantly passed over his expressive countenance. No
sooner had he put the nut to his mouth, and thrown
back his head in order to catch what came out of it,
than his eyes opened to twice their ordinary size with
astonishment, while his throat moved vigorously in the
act of svTallowing. Then a smile and look of intense
delight overspread his fa.ce, except, indeed, the mouth,
which, being firmly fixed to the hole in the nut, could
not take part in the expression ; but he endeavoured
to make up for this by winking at us excessively
with his right eye. At length he stopped, and, draw-
ing a long breath, exclaimed —

" Nectar I perfect nectar ! I say. Jack, you're a
Briton — the best fellow I ever met in my Ufa Only
taste that!" said he, turning to me and holding the
nut to my mouth. I immediately drank, and cer-
toinly I was lauch surprised at the delightful liquid
that flowed copiously down my throat It was ex-

42 THE CORAL ISLAND.

tremely oool, and had a sweet taste, mingled with
add; in teuct, it was the likest thing to lemonade I
ever tasted, and was most grateful and refreshing. I
handed the nut to Jack, who, after tasting it, said,
"Now, Peterkin, you unbeliever, I never saw or
tasted a cocoa nut in my life before, except those
sold in shops at home; but I once read that the green
nuts contain that stuff, and you see it is true V

" And pray," asked Peterkin, " what sort of * stuff'
does the ripe nut contain ?''

" A hollow kernel," answered Jack, " with a liquid
like milk in it; but it does not satisfy thirst so weU
as hunger. It is very wholesome food I believe."

" Meat and drink on the same tree!" <aied Peter-
kin ; " washing in the sea^ lodging on the ground, —
and all for nothing ! My dear boys, we're set up for
life; it must be the ancient Paradise, — ^hurrah!" and
Peterkin tossed his straw hat in the air, and ran
along the beach hallooing like a madman with de-
light

We afterwards found, however, that these lovely
islands were very unlike Paradise in many things.
But more of this in its proper place.

We had now come to the point of rocks on which
the ship had struck, but did not find a single article,
although we searched carefully among the coral rocks,
which at this place jutted out so fai* as nearly to join

THK CORAL ISLAin> 48

the reef that encircled the island. Just as we were
about to return, however, we saw something black
floating in a little cove that had escaped our obser-
vation. Running forward, we drew it from the water,
and found it to be a long thick leather boot, such as
fishennen at home wear; and a few paces farther on
we picked up its fbUow. We at once recognised
these Bs having belonged to our captain, for he had
worn them during the whole of the storm, in order
to guard his legs from the waves and spray that con-
stantly washed over our decka My first thought on
seeing them was that our dear captain had been
drowned; but Jack soon put my mind more at rest
on that point, by saying that if the captain had been
drowned with the boots on, he would certainly have
been washed ashore< along with them, and that he
had no doubt whatever he had kicked them off while
in the sea, that he might swim more easily.

Peterkin immediately put them on, but they were
80 large that, as Jack said, they would have done for
boots, trousers, and vest too. I also tried them, but^
although I was long enough in the legs for them,
they were much too large in the feet for me; so we
handed them to Jack, who was anxious to make me
keep them, but as they fitted his large limbs and
feet as if they had been made for him, I would not
hear of it^ so he consented at last to use them. I

44 THE CORAL ISLAND.

may remark, however, that Jack did not use them
often, as they were extremely heavy.

It was beginning to grow dark when we returned
to our encampment; so we put off our visit to the
top of a hill til] next day, and employed the light
that yet remained to us in cutting down a quantity
of boughs and the broad leaves of a tree, of which
none of us knew the name. With these we erected
a sort of rustic bower, in which we meant to pass the
night. There was no absolute necessity for this, be-
cause the air of our isknd was so genial and bahny
that we could have slept quite well without any
shelter; but we were so little used to sleeping in the
open air, that we did not quite relish the idea of
lying down without any covering over us: besides,
our bower would shelter us from the night dews or
rain, if any should happen to fiEblL Having strewed
the floor with leaves and dry grass, we bethought
ourselves of supper.

But it now occurred to us, for the first time, that
we had no means of making a fire.

" Now, there's a fix ! — ^what shall we do V said
Peterkin, while we both turned our eyes to Jack, to
whom we always looked in our difficulties^ Jack
seemed not a little perplexed.

" There are flints enough, no doubt, on the beadi,''
said he, '' but they are of no use at all without a

THK OORAL 19LAKD. 45

steel However, we must try/' So saying, he went
to the beach, and soon returned with two flinta On
one of these he placed the tinder, and endeavoured to
ignite it; but it was with great difficulty that a very
small spark was struck out of the flints, and the tin-
der, being a bad, hard piece, would not catch. He
then tried the bit of hoop iron, which would not
strike fire at all; and after that the back of the axe,
with no better succesa During all these trials Peter-
kin sat with his hands in his pockets, gazing with a
most melancholy visage at our comrade^ his face
growing longer and more miserable at each successive
failure.

. " Oh dear ! " he sighed, " I would not care a button
for the cooking of our victuals, — perhaps they don't
need it, — ^but it's so dismal to eat one's supper in the
dark, and we have had such a capital day, that it's a
pity to finish ofi* in this glum style. Oh, I have it!''
he cried, starting up; "the spy-glass, — ^the big glass
at the end is a burning-glass!"

" You forget that we have no sun," said I.

Feterkin was silent. In his sudden recollection of
the telescope he had quite overlooked the absence of
the sun.

"Ah, boys, I've got it now!" exclaimed Jack,
rising and cutting a branch from a neighbouring
bush, which he stripped of its leaves. " I recollect

46 THE CORAL ISLAKD.

seeing this done onoe at homa Hand me the bit of
whip-cord.'' With the cord and bifanch Jack soon
formed a bow. Then he cut a piece, about three
inches long, off the end of a dead branch, which he
pointed at the two ends. Bound this he passed the
cord of the bow, and placed one end against his chest,
which was protected from its point by a chip of wood;
the other point he placed against the bit of tinder,
and then began to saw vigorously with the bow, just
as a blacksmith does with his diiU while boring a
bole in a piece of iroa In a few seconds the tinder
began to smoke; in less than a minute it caught fire;
and in less than a quarter of an hour we were drinking
our lemonade and eating cocoa nuts round a fire that
would have roasted an entire sheep, while the smoke,
flames, and sparks, fiew up among the broad leaves
of the overhanging palm trees, and cast a warm glow
upon our leafy bower.

That night the starry sky looked down through
the gently rustling trees upon our slumbers, and the
distant roaring of the surf upon the coral reef wa£ our
lullaby.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 47

CHAPTER V.

Morning, and cogitations connected therewith— We Inxnrlate in the sea, try oaz
diving powera, and make enchanting ezcuraions among the coral groves at the
bottom of the ocean— The wonders of the deep enlarged upon.

What a joyful thing it is to awaken, bn a fresh
glorious morning, and find the rising sun staring into
your face with dazzling brilliancy ! — to see the birds
twittering in the bushes, and to hear the murmuring
of a riU, or the soft hissing ripples as they Ml upon
the sea-shore ! At any time and in any place such
Bights and sounds are most charming, but more espe-
cially are they so when one awakens to them, for the
first time, in a novel and romantic situation, with
the soft sweet air of a tropical climate mingling with
the fre^h smell of the sea, and stirring the strange
leaves that flutter overhead and around one, or ruffling
the plumage of the stranger birds that fly inquiringly
around, as if to demand what business we have to
intrude uninvited on their domaias. When I awoke
on the morning after the shipwreck, I found myself
in this most delightful condition ; and, as I lay on
my back upon my bed of leaves, gazing up through
the branches of the cocoa-nut trees into the dear blue
sky, and watched the few fleecy clouds that passed
slowly across it, my heart expanded more and more

48 THE OORAL ISLAKD.

with an exnlting gladness, the like of which I had
never felt before. While I meditated, my thoughts
again turned to the great and kind Creator of this
beautiful world, as they had done on the previous
day, when I iBrst beheld the sea and the coral ree(
with the mighty waves dashing over it into the cahn
waters of the lagoon.

While thus meditating, I naturally bethought me
of my Bible, for I had faithfully kept the promise,
which I gave at parting to my beloved mother, that
I would read it every morning ; and it was with a
feeling of dismay that I remembered I had left it in
the ship. I was much troubled about thia How-
ever, T consoled myself with reflecting that I could
keep the second part of my promise to her, namely,
that I should never omit to say my prayers. So I
rose quietly, lest I should disturb my companions,
who were still asleep, and stepped aside into the
bushes for this purpose.

On my return I found them still slumbering, so I
again lay down to think over our situation. Just at
that moment I was attracted by the sight of a very
small parrot, which Jack afterwards told me was
called a paroquet. It was seated on a twig that
overhung Peterkin's head, and I was speedily lost in
admiration of its bright green plumage, which was
mingled with other gay colours. While I looked I

THE OORAL ISLAin). 49

observed that the bird turned its head slowly fi:t)in
side to side and looked downwards^ first with the
one eye, and then with the other. On glancing
downwards I observed that Peterkin's mouth was
wide open, and that this remarkable bird was look-
ing into it. Feterkin used to say that I had not an
atom of fim in my composition, and that I never
could understand a joke. In regard to the latter,
perhaps he was right ; yet I think that, when they
were explained to me, I understood jokes as well as
most people : but in regard to the former he must
certainly have been wrong, for this bird seemed to
me to be extremely fimny ; and I could not help
thinking that, if it should happen to fiEiint, or slip its
foot, and Ml off the twig into Feterkin's mouth, he
would perhaps think it funny too! Suddenly the
paroquet bent down its head and uttered a loud
scream in his face. This awoke him, and, with a
cry of surprise, he started up, while the foolish bird
flew precipitately away.

"Oh you monster!" cried Feterkin, shaking his
fist at the bird. Then he yawned and rubbed his
eyes, and asked what o'clock it was.

I smiled at this question, and answered that, aa
our watches were at the bottom^ of the sea, I could
not tell, but it was a little past sunrise.

Feterkin now began to remember where we were.

50 THE CORAJ. ISLAND.

As he looked up into the bright sky, and snuffed
the scented air, his eyes glistened with delight, and
he uttered a fiednt ''hurrah!" and yawned agaia
Then he gazed slowly round, till, observing the calm
sea through an opening in the bushes, he started
suddenly up as if he had reoeived an electric shock,
uttered a vehement shout, flung off his garments,
and, rushing over the white sands, plunged into the
water. The cry awoke Jack, who rose on his elbow
with a look of grave surprise ; but this was followed
by a quiet smile of intelligence on seeing Feterkin in
the water. With an energy that he only gave way
to in moments of excitement, Jack bounded to his
feet, threw off his clothes, shook back his hair, and,
with a lion-like spring, dashed over the sands and
plunged into the sea with such force as quite to
envelop Feterkin in a shower of spray. Jack was
a remarkably good swimmer and diver, so that after
his plunge we saw no sign of him for nearly a
minute; after which he suddenly emerged, with a
cry of joy, a good many yards out from the shore.
My spirits were so much raised by seeing all this
that I, too, hastily threw off my garments and endea-
voured to imitate Jack's vigorous bound ; but I was
so awkward that my foot caught on a stump, and I
fell to the ground ; then I slipped on a stone while
running over the aand. and nearly feU a«ain. much

THK CORAL T8LAin>. 51

to the amusement of Feterkin, who laughed heartily,
and called me a ** slow coach/' while Jack cried out,
" Cyme along, Ralph, and 111 help you." However,
when I got into the water I managed very well, for
I was really a good swimmer, and diver too. I could
not, indeed, equal Jack, who was superior to any
Englishman I ever saw, but I infinitely surpassed
Peterkin, who could only swim a little, and could not
dive at all

While Peterkin enjoyed himself in the shallow
water and in running along the beach. Jack and I
swam out into the deep water, and occasionally dived
for stones. I shall never forget my surprise and de-
light on first beholding the bottom of the sea. As I
have before stated, the water within the reef was as
calm as a pond; and, as there was no wind, it was
quite dear, from the surface to the bottom, so that we
could see down easily even at a depth of twenty or
thirty yarda When Jack and I dived in shallower
water, we expected to have foimd sand and stones,
instead of which we found ourselves in what appeared
really to be an enchanted garden. The whole of the
bottom of the lagoon, as we called the calm water
within the reei^ was covered with coral of every shape,
sizse, and hue. Some portions were formed like large
mushrooms ; others appeared like the brain of a man,
having stalks or necks attached to them; but the

52 TUE CORAL ISLAND.

most common kind was a species of branching coral,
and some portions were of a lovely pale pink coloiu*,
others pure white. Among this there grew l^rge
quantities of sea-weed of the richest hues imaginable,
and of the most graceful forms; while innumerable
fishes — ^blue, red, yellow, green, and striped — sported
in and out amongst the flower-beds of this submarine
garden, and did not appear to be at all afraid of our
approaching them.

On darting to the surfeu^e for breath, after our first
dive, Jack and I rose close to each other.

" Did you ever in your life, Balph, see anything so
lovely?'' said Jack, &s he flung the spray from his hair.

" Never," I replied. " It appears to me like fairy

realma I can scarcely believe that we are not dream-
* $t

!

"Dreaming!" cried Jack, "do you know, Balph,
I'm half tempted to think that we really are dream-
ing. But if so, I am resolved to make the most of
it, and dream another dive; so here goes, — down
again, my boy !"

We took the second dive together, and kept beside
each other while under water; and I was greatly
surprised to find that we could keep down much
longer than I ever recollect having done in our own
seas at home. I believe that this was owing tx> the
heat of the water, which was so warm that we after-

T£[£ CORAL ISLAND. 53

virards found we could remain in it for two and three
hours at a time without feeling any unpleasant effects
such as we used to experience in the sea at home.
When Jack reached the bottom, he grasped the coral
stems, and crept along on his hands and knees, peep-
ing under the sea-weed and among the rocks. I
observed him also pick up one or two large oysters,
and retain them in his grasp, as if he meant to take
them up with him, so I also gathered a few. Sud-
denly he made a grasp at a fish with blue and yellow
stripes on its back, and actually touched its tail, but
did not catch it. At this he turned towards me and
attempted to smUe; but no sooner had he done so than
he sprang like an arrow to the surface, where, on fol-
lowing him, I foimd him gaspiag and coughing, and
spitting water from his mouth. In a few minutes
lie recovered, and we both turned to swim ashore.

" I declare, Ralph," said he, " that I actually tried
to laugh under water."

" So I saw," I replied ; " and I observed that you
very nearly caught that fish by the taU. It would
have done capitally for breakfast if you had."

" Breakfast enough here," said he, holding up the
oysters, as we landed and ran up the beach. " Hallo !
Peterkin, here you are, boy. Split open these fellows
while Balph and I put on our clothes. Theyll agree
with the cocoa nuts excellently, I have no doubt *'

54 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Feterkin, who was already dressed, took ibe oys-
ters, and opened them with the edge of our axe,
exdaiming, *' Now, that is capital There's nothing
I'm so fond of"

" Ah ! that's lucky," remarked Jack. " 111 be able
to keep you in good order now. Master Feterkin.
You know you can't dive any better than a cat So,
sir, whenever you behave ill, you shall have no oys-
ters for breakfast."

'' I'm very glad that our prospect of breakfast is
so good," said I, " for I'm very hungry."

" Here, then, stop your mouth with that, Ralph,"
said Feterkin, holding a large oyster to my lips. 1
opened my mouth and swallowed it in silence, and
really it was remarkably good.

We now set ourselves earnestly about our prepara-
tions for spending the day. We had no difficulty
with the fire this morning, aa our burning-glass was
an admirable one ; and while we roasted a few oys-
ters and ate our cocoa nuts, we held a long, animated
conversation about our plans for the future. What
those plans were, and how we carried them into
effect, the reader shall see hereafter.

TBE COILAL ISLAND. 55

CHAPTER VI.

jm exconion iDto the intedsr, in which we make miiny yoltutble and intereating
<iiec(nrerie»— We get adreadftil fright— The bread-froit tree- Wonderftil pecoliailtj
of lome of the fruit trees— Signs of former inhabitants.

OUB first care, after break&st, was to place the few
articles we possessed in the crevice of a rock at the
farther end of a smaJl cave which we discovered near
our encampment This cave, we hoped, might be
useful to us afterwards as a store-house. Then we
cut two large dubs off a species of very hard tree
which grew near at hand. One of these was given
to Peterkin, the other to me, and Jack armed himself
with the axe. We took these precautions because
we purposed to make an excursion to the top of the
mountains of the interior, in order to obtain a better
view of our island. Of course we knew not what
dangers might befSall us by the way, so thought it
best to be prepared.

Having completed our arrangements and carefully
extinguished our fire, we sallied forth and walked a
short distance along the sea-beach, till we came to
the entrance of a valley, through which fiowed the
rivulet before mentioned. Here we turned our backs
on the sea and struck into the interior.

The prospect that burst upon our view on entering

56 THE CORAL I8LAin>.

the valley was truly splendid. On either side of m
there was a gentle rise in the land, which thus formed
two ridges about a nule apart on each side of the
valley. These ridges, — ^which, as well as the low
grounds between them, were covered with trees and
shrubs of the most luxuriant kind, — continued to
recede inland for about two miles, when they joined
the foot of a small mountain. This lull rose rather
abruptly from the head of the valley, and was like-
wise entirely covered even to the top with trees,
except on one particular spot near the left shoulder,
where was a bare and rocky place of a broken and
savage character. Beyond this hill we could not
see, and we therefore directed our course up the banks
of the rivulet towards the foot of it, intending to
dimb to the top, should that be possible, as, indeed,
we had no doubt it was.

Jack, being the wisest and boldest among us, took
the lead, carrying the axe on his shoulder. Feterkin,
with his enormous dub, came second, as he said he
should like to be in a position to defend me if any
danger should threaten. I brought up the rear, but,
having been more taken up with the wonderful and
curious things I saw at starting than with thoughts
of possible danger, I had very foolishly left my dub
behind m& Although, as I have said, the trees and
bushes were very luxuriant, they were not so thickly

THE OORAL ISLAND. 57

crowded together as to hinder our progress among
tiiem. We were able to wind in and out. and to
follow the banks of the stream quite easily, although,
it is true, the height and thickness of the foliage
prevented us from seeing far ahead. But sometimes
a jutting-out rock on the hill sides afforded us a
position whence we could enjoy the romantic view
and mark our progress towards the foot of the hilL
I was particularly struck, during the walk, with the
richness of the undergrowth in most places, and recog-
nised many berries and plants that resembled those

fern, which emitted an agreeable perfume. There
were several kinds of flowers, too, but I did not see
BO many of these as I should have expected in such
a dimate. We also saw a great variety of small
birds of bright plumage, and many paroquets similar
to the one that awoke Peterkin so rudely in the
morning.

Thus we advanced to the foot of the hill without
enoounteriBg anything to alarm us, except, indeed,
once, when we were passing dose under a part of the
hill which was hidden firom our view by the broad
leaves of the banana trees, which grew in great luxu-
riimoe in that part. Jack waa just preparing to force
his way through this thicket, when we were startled
and arrested by a strange pattering or rumbling sound«

58 THE CCRAL ISLAND.

which appeared to us quite different from any of the
sounds we had heard during the previous part of our
walk.

•* Hallo !" cried Peterkin, stopping short and grasp-
mg his club with both hands, " what's that ?"

Neither of us replied ; but Jack seized his axe in
his right hand, while with the other he pushed aside
the broad leaves and endeavoured to peer amongst
them.

" I can see nothing/' he said, after a short pause.
" I think ii^"

Again the rumbling sound came, louder than before,
and we all sprang back and stood on the defensive.
For myself, having forgotten my dub, and not having
taken the precaution to cut another, I buttoned my
jacket, doubled my fists, and threw myself into a
boxing attitude. I must say, however, that I felt
somewhat unea£|y; and my companions afterwards
confessed that their thoughts at this moment had
been instantly filled with all they had ever heard or
read of wild beasts and savages, torturings at the
stake, roastings alive, and such like horrible things.
Suddenly the pattering noise increased with tenfold
violence. It was followed by a fearful crash among
the bushes, which was rapidly repeated, as if some
gigantic animal were bounding towards us. In an-
other moment an enormous rock came crashing through

THB CORAL ISLAND. 59

Lhe shrubbery, followed by a doud of dust and small
stones, and flew dose past the spot where we stood,
carrying bushes and young trees along with it.

•* Pooh ! is that all T' exclaimed Peterkin, wiping
the perspiration off his forehead. " Why, I thought
it was all the wild men and beasts in the South Sea
Islands galloping on in one grand charge to sweep us
off the &ce of the earth, instead of a mere stone tum-
bling down the moimtain side.''

'< Nevertheless,'' remarked Jack, '*if that same
stone had hit any of us, it would have rendered the
charge you speak of quite unnecessary, Peterkin."

This was true, and I felt very thankful for our
escape. On examining the spot more narrowly, we
found that it lay close to the foot of a very rugged
predpice, £rom which stones of various sizes were
always tumbling at intervala Indeed, the numerous
fragments lying scattered all around might have sug*
gested the cause of the sound, had we not been too
suddenly alarmed to think of anything.

We now resumed our journey, resolving that, in
our future excursions into the interior, we would be
careful to avoid this dangerous predpice.

Soon afterwards we arrived at the foot of the hill
and prepared to ascend it. Here Jads made a di^
covery which caused us all very great joy. This was
a tree of a remarkably beautiful appearance, which

J

60 THE COBAL ISLAND.

Jack confidently declared to be the celebrated bread-
fruit tree.

" Is it celebrated ?" inquired Peterkin, with a look
of great simplicity.

" It ifl," replied Jack.

" That's odd, now/' rejoined Peterkin ; " I never
heard of it before.''

" Then it's not so celebrated as I thought it was,"
returned Jack, quietly squeezing Peterkin's hat ovei
his eyes ; " but listen, you ignorant boobie ! and hear
of it now."

Peterkin re-adjusted his hat, and was soon listening
mth as much interest as myself, while Jack told us
that this tree is one of the most valuable in the
islands of the south ; that it bears two, sometimes
three, crops of fruit in the year ; that the fruit is
very like wheaten bread in appearance, and that it
constitutes the principal food of many of the islanders.

" So," said Peterkin, " we seem to have everything
ready prepared to our hands in this wonderful island,
— ^lemonade ready bottled in nuts, and loaf-bread grow-
ing* on the trees !"

Peterkin, as usual, was jesting ; nevertheless, it is
a curious fact that he spoke almost the literal trutii.

"Moreover," continued Jack, "the bread-fixdt
tree affords a capital gum, which serves the natives
for pitching their canoes ; Uie bark of the young

THE CORAL ISLAND. 61

branchee is made by them into doth; and of the
wood, which is durable and of a good colour, they
build their housea So you see, lads, that we have
no lack of material here to make us comfortable, if
we are only clever enough to use it"

" But are you sure that that^s it V* asked Peterkin.

" Quite sure," replied Jack ; for I was particularly
interested in the account I once read of it, and I re-
member the description welL I am sony, however,
that I have forgotten the descriptions of many other
trees which I am sure we have seen to-day, if we could
but recognise them. So you see, Peterkin, I'm not
up to everything yet"

" Never mind, Jack," said Peterkin, with a grave,
patronizing expression of countenance, patting his tail
companion on the shoulder, — "never mind. Jack;
you know a good deal for your age. You're a clever
boy, sir, — a promising young man ; and if you only
go on as you have begun, sir, you will — "

The end of this speech was suddenly cut short by
Jack tripping up Peterkin's heels and tumbling him
into a mass of thick shrubs, where, finding himseU
comfortable, he lay still, basking in the sunshine,
while Jack and I examined the bread-fiiiit tree.

We were much struck with the deep, rich green
colour of its broad leaves, which were twelve or
eighteen inches long, deeply indented, and of a glosEfy

62 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Hmoothness, like the laurel The fruit, with which
it was loaded, was nearly round, and appeared to be
about six inches in diameter, with a rough rind,
marked with lozenge-shaped divisions. It was of
various colours, from light pea-green to brown and
rich yellow. Jack said that the yellow was the ripe
fruit We afterwards found thaji most of the fruit-
trees on the island were evergreens, and that we
might, when we wished, pluck the blossom and the
ripe fruit from the same tree. Such a wonderful
difference from the trees of our own country surprised
us not a littla The bark of the tree was rough and
light-coloured ; the trunk was about two feet in dia-
meter, and it appeared to be twenty feet high, being
quite destitute of branches up to that height, where
it branched off into a beautiful and umbrageous head.
We noticed that the fruit hung in clusters of twos
and threes on the branches ; but as we were anxious
to get to the top of the hill, we refrained from attempt-
ing to pluck any at that time.

Our hearts were now very much cheered by our
good fortune, aad it was with Ught and active steps
that we clambered up the steep sides of the hilL On
reaching the summit, a new, and if possible a grander,
prospect met our gaze. We found that this was not
the highest part of the island, but that another lull
lay beyond, with a wide vaUey between it and the

THE CORAL ISLAND. 69

one on which we stood. This valley, like the first,
was also fuU of rich trees, some dark and some light
green, some heavy and thick in foliage, and othera
light, feathery, and graoeful, while the beautiful bios-
floms on many of them threw a sort of rainbow tint
over alL and gave to the valley the appearance of a
garden of flowers. Among these we recognised many
of the bread-finiit trees, laden with yellow jfruit, and
also a great many cocoa-nut palms. After gazing
our fill we pushed down the hill side, crossed the
vaUey, and soon began to ascend the second moun-
tain. It was clothed with trees nearly to the top,
but the summit was bare, and in some places broken.

While on our way up we came to an object which
fiUed us with much interest. This was the stump
of a tree that had evidently been cut down with an
axe I So, then, we were not the first who had viewed
this beautiful isle. The hand of man had been at
work there before us. It now began to recur to us
again that perha;ps the island was inhabited, although
we had not seen any traces of man until now ; but a
second glance at the stump convinced us that we had
not more reason to think so now than formerly ; for
the surface of the wood was quite decayed, and partly
covered witH fungus and gi*een matter, so that it
must have been cut many years ago.

" Perhaps," said Peterkin, " some ship ur other has

J

6^4 THE CORAL ISLAND.

touched here long ago for wood, and only taken one
tree.''

We did not think this likely, however, becaufie, in
such circumstances, the crew of a ship would cut
wood of small size, and near the shore, whereas this
was a large tree and stood near the top of the moun*
tain. In fisK^t it was the highest large tree on the
mountain, all above it being wood of very recent
growth.

'' I can't understand it,'' said Jack, scratching the
surface of the stump with his axe. "I can only
suppose that the savages have been here and cut it
for some purpose known only to themselves. But,
hallo ! what have we here V

As he spoke, Jack began carefiilly to scrape away
the moss and fungus £rom the stump, and soon laid
bare three distinct traces of marks, as if some inscrip-
tion or initials had been cut thereon. But although
the traces were distinct, beyond all doubt, the exact
form of the letters could not be made out. Jack
thought they looked like J. S. but we could not be
certain. They had apparently been carelessly cut, and
long exposure to the weather had so broken them up
that we could not make out what they were. We
were exceedingly perplexed at this discovery, and
stayed a long time at the place conjecturing what
these marks could have been, but without avail ; so,

THK CORAL T8LAKD. 65

as the day wha advancing, we left it and quickly
reached the top of the mountain.

We found this to be the highest point of the island,
and £rom it we saw our kingdom lying, as it were,
like a map around u& As I have always thought
it impossible to get a thing properly into one's under^
standing without comprehending it, I shall beg the
reader's patience for a little while I describe our
island, thus, shortly : —

It consisted of two mountains; the one we guessed
at 500 feet; the other, on which we stood, at
1000. Between these lay a rich, beautiful valley,
as already said. This valley crossed the island from
one end to the other, being high in the middle and
sloping on each side towards the se& The large
mountain sloped, on the side fisirthest from where we
had been wrecked, gradually towards the sea; but
although, when viewed at a glance, it had thus a
regular sloping appearance, a more carefrd observation
showed that it was broken up into a multitude of
very small vales, or rather dells and glens, intermingled
with little rugged spots and small but abrupt pre'
dpices here and there, with rivulets tumbling over
their edges and wandering down the slopes in little
white streams, sometimes glistening among the broad
leaves of the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, or hid«
ing altogether beneath the rich underwood. At the

66 THE OOVLAJ* ISLASD.

base of thiB mountain lay a narrow bright green plain
or meadow, which terminated abruptly at the shore.
On the other side of the island, whenoe we had come,
stood the smaller hill, at the foot of which diverged
three valleys; one bemg that which we had ascended,
with a smaller vale on each side of it^ and separated
from it by the two ridges before mentioned. In these
smaller valleys there were no streams, but they were
clothed with the same luxuriant vegetation.

The diameter of the island seemed to be about ten
miles, and, as it was almost circular in form, its cir-
cumference must have been thirty miles; — ^perhaps a
little more, if allowance be made for the numerous
bays and indentations of the shore. The entire island
was belted by a beach of pure white sand, on which
laved the gentle ripples of the lagoon. We now also
observed that the coral reef completely encircled the
island; but it varied its distance from it here and
there, in some places being a mile from the beach,
in others, a few hundred yards, but the average
distance was half a mile. The reef lay very low, and
the spray of the surf broke quite over it in many places.
This surf never ceased its roar, for, however cahn the
weather might be, there is always a gentle swaying
motion in the great Pacific, which, although scarce
noticeable out at sea^ reaches the shore at last in a
huge billow The water within the lagoon, as before

THB CORAL ISLAND. 67

Boiid, was perfectly still There were three narrow
openings in the reef; one opposite each end of the
valley which I have described as crossing the island;
the other opposite our own valley, which we after-
wards named the Valley of the Wreck. At each of
these openings the reef rose into two small green
islets, covered with bushes and having one or
two cocoa-nut palms on each. These islets were
very singular, and appeared as if planted expressly
for the purpose of marking the channel into the
lagoon. Our captain was making for one of these
openings the day we were wrecked, and would have
reached it too, I doubt not, had not the rudder been
torn away. Within the. lagoon were several pretty,
low coral islands, just opposite our encampment ; and,
immediately beyond these, out at sea, lay about a
dozen other islands, at various distances, from half
a mUe to ten miles ; all of them, as &r as we could
discern, smaller than ours and apparently uninhabited.
They seemed to be low coral islands, raised but little
above the sea, yet covered with cocoa-nut trees.

All this we noted, and a great deal more, while
we sat on the top of the mountain. After we had
satisfied ourselves we prepared to return ; but here
again we discovered traces of the presence of man.
These were a pole or staff and one or two pieces of
wood which had been squared with an axe. All of

68 THE CORAL ISLAND.

these were, however, very much decayed, and they
had evidently not been touched for many years.

Full of these discoveries we returned to our en-
campment On the way we fell in with the traces
of some four-footed animal, but whether old or of
recent date none of us were able to guesa This also
tended to raise our hopes of obtaining some animal
food on the island, so we reached home in good
spirits, quite prepared for supper, and highly satisfied
with our excursion.

After much discussion, in which Peterkin took the
lead, we came to the conclusion that the island was
uninhabited, and went to bed.

TnS CORAL ISLAND. 69

CHAPTER VII.

Jftck's Ingemiltj— We get into dUBcnltieB aboiife flahiag, and get ont of Umob by ii
method which i^ves us a cold bath— Hinrxible encounter with a ehark.

Fob several days after the excursion related in the
last chapter we did not wander hx from our encamp-
ment^ but gave oiKselves up to forming plans for the
future and making our present abode comfortable.

There were varions causes that induced this state
of comparative inaction. In the first place, although
everytliing around us was so delightful, and we could
without difficulty obtain all that we required for our
bodily comfort, we did not quite like the idea of
settling down here for the rest of our lives, fiox away
from our friends and our native land. To set ener-
getically about preparations for a permanent residence
seemed so like making up our minds to saying adieu
to home and friends for ever, that we tadtly shrank
from it and put off our preparations, for one reason
and another, as long as we could. Then there was
a little uncertainty still as to there being natives on
the island, and we entertained a kind of faint hope
that a ship might come and take us off But as day
after day passed, and neither savages nor ships ap-
peared, we gave up all hope of an early deliverance
and set diligently to work at our homestead

70 THB CORAL ISLAND.

During this time, however^ we had not been alto-
gether idle. We made several experiments in cooking
the cocoa-nut, most of which did not improve it. Then
we removed our goods, and took up our abode in the
cave, but found the change so bad that we returned
gladly to the bower. Besides this, we bathed very
firequently, and talked a great deal; at least Jack
and Peterkin did, — I listened. Among other useful
things. Jack, who was ever the most active and
diligent^ converted about three inches of the hoop-
iron into an exceUent knife. First he beat it quite
flat with the axa Then he made a rude handle, and
tied the hoop-iron to it with our piece of whip-cord,
and ground it to an edge on a piece of sand-stone.
When it was finished he used it to shape a better
handle, to which he fixed it with a strip of his cotton
handkerchief ;— in which operation he had, as Peter-
kin pointed out, torn off one of Lord Nelson's nosea
However, the whip-cord, thus set firee, was used by
Peterkin as a fishing line. He merely tied a piece
of oyster to the end of it This the fish were allowed
to swallow, and then they were pulled quickly ashore.
But as the line was very short and we had no boat,
the fish we caught were exceedingly smaJL

One day Peterkin came up from the beach, where
he had been angling, and said in a very cross tone,
'' 111 tell you what. Jack, I'm not going to be hum-

TH£ OOBAL ISLAND. 71

bugged with catching such contemptible things any
longer. I want you to swim out with me on your
backy and let me fish in deep water I"

" Dear me, Peterkin,'' replied Jack, " I had no idea
you were taking the thing so much to heart, else I
would have got you out of that difficulty long ago.
Let me see,'* — and Jack looked down at a piece of
timber on which he had been labouring, with a peculiar
gaze of abstraction, which he always assumed when
trying to invent or discover anything.

" What say you to building a boat ?" he inquired,
looking up hastily.

"Take &x too long," was the reply; "can't be
bothered waiting. I want to begin at once \"

Again Jack considered. "I have it!" he cried.
" Well feU a large tree and launch the trunk of it in
the water, so that when you want to fish youVe
nothing to do but to swim out to it."

" Would not a small raft do better?" said L

"Much better; but we have no ropes to bind it
together witL Perhaps we may find something here-
after that will do as well, but, in the meantime, let
us try the tree."

This was agreed on, so we started off to a spot
not far distant, where we knew of a tree that would
suit us, which grew near the water's edge. As soon
as we reached it Jack threw off his coat^ and, wield*

72 TRB CORAL ISLAND.

ing the axe with bis sturdy arms, hacked aud hewed at
it for a quarter of an hour without stopping. Then
he paused, and, while he sat down to rest, I continued
the work. Then Feterkin made a vigorous attack
on it, so that when Jack renewed his powerful blows,
a few minutes cutting brought it down with a terrible
crasL

" Hurrah ! now for it,'' cried Jack ; " let us off with
its head."

So saying he began to cut through the stem again,
at about six yards from the thick end. This done,
he cut three strong, short poles or levers firom the
stout branches, with which to roll the log down the
beach into the sea; for, as it was neaiiy two feet thick
at the large end, we could not move it without such
helps. With the levenf, however, we rolled it slowly
into the sea.

Having been thus successful in launching our
vessel, we next shaped the levers iuto rude oars or
paddle, and then attempted to embark. This was
easy enough to do; but, after seating ourselves
astride the log, it was with the utmost difficulty we
kept it from rolling ro\md and plunging us into the
water. Not that we minded that much; but we
preferred, if possible, to fish in dry clothes. To be
sure, our trousers were necessarily wet^ as our legs
were dangling in the water on each side of tlie log ;

THB COSAJ. ISLAKD. 73

but, as they could be easily dried, we did not care.
After half an hour's practice, we became expert enough
to keep our balance pretty steadily. Then Feterkin
laid down his paddle, and having baited his line with
a whole oyster, dropt it into deep water.

" Now, then. Jack," said he, " be cautious ; steer
dear o' that sea-weed. There; that's it; gently,
now, gently. I see a fellow at least a foot long
down there, coming to — ha ! that's it ! Oh ! bother,
he's off"

" Did he bite ?" said Jack, urging the log onwards
a little with his paddle.

" Bite ? ay ! He took it into his mouth, but the
moment I began to haul he opened his jaws and let
it out again."

*' Let him swallow it next time," said Jack, laugh-
ing at the melancholy expression of Peterkin's
visage.

" There he's again," cried Peterkin, his eyes flash-
ing with excitement. " Look out ! Now then !
No ! Yes ! No ! Why, the brute won't swallow it 1"

" Try to haul him up by the mouth, then," cried
Jack " Do it gently."

A heavy sigh and a look of blank despair showed
that poor Peterkin had tried and failed again.

" Never mind, lad," said Jack, in a voice of sym-
pathy;" we'll move on, and offer it to some other

74 TEE CORAL ISLAND.

fifiL^ So aayiiig, Jack plied his paddle; but Bcaroelj
had he moved from the spot, when a fish with an
enormous head and a little body darted from under
a rock and swallowed the bait at once.

" Got him this time, — ^that's a fiwt ! " cried Peterkin,
hauling in the line. '' He's swallowed the bait right .
down to his tail, I declare. Oh what a thumper !''

As the fish came struggling to the sm:&ce, we
leaned forward to see it, and overbalanced the log.
Peterkin threw his arms round the fish's neck ; and,
in another instant, we were all floundering in the
water!

A shout of laughter burst from us as we rose to
the sur&ce like three drowned rats, and seized hold
of the log. We soon recovered our position, and sat
more warily, while Peterkin secured the fish, which
had well-nigh escaped in the midst of our struggles.
It was little worth having, however; but, as Peterkin
remarked, it was better than the smouts he had been
catching for the last two or three days ; so we laid it
on the log before us, and having re-baited the line,
dropt it in again for another.

Now, while we were thus intent upon our sport,
our attention was suddenly attracted by a ripple on
the sea, just a few yards away from us. Peterkin
shouted to us to paddle in that direction, as he
thought it was a big fish, and we might have a

THE COBAL ISLAND. 75

chance of catching it. But Jack, instead of com-
plying, said, in a deep, earnest tone of voice, which I
never before heard him use, —

" Haul up your line, Peterkin ; seize your paddle ;
quick, — it's a shark ! "

The horror with which we heard this may well be
imagined, for it must be remembered that our legs
were hanging down in the water, and we could not
venture to pull them up without upsetting the log.
Peterkin instantly hauled up the line ; and, grasping
his paddle, exerted himself to the utmost, while we
also did our best to make for shore. But we were
a good way of^ and the log being, as I have before
said, very heavy, moved but slowly through the
water. We now «aw the shark quite distinctly
swimming round and round us, its sharp fin every
now and then protruding above the water. From
its active and unsteady motions. Jack knew it was
making up its mind to attack us, so he urged us
vehemently to paddle for our lives, while he him-
self set us the example. Suddenly he shouted
" Look out ! — ^there he comes!" and in a second we
saw the monstrous fish Jive dose under us, and turn
half over on his side. But we aU made a great com-
motion with our paddles, which no doubt frightened
it away for that time, as we saw it immediately after
circling ro\md us as before.

76 TUB CORAL ISLAHD.

" Throw the fish to him,'' cried Jack, in a quick,
Buppreaaed voice ; ^ well make the shore in time yet
if we can keep him off for a few minutea"

Peterkin stopped one instant to obey the com-
mand, and then plied his paddle again with all his
might No sooner had the fish feUen on the water
than we observed the shark to sink. In another
second we saw its white breast rising; for sharks
always turn over on thdr sides when about to seise
their prey, their mouths being not at the point of
their heads like those of other fish, but^ as it were,
under their china In another moment his snout
rose above the water, — his wide jaws^ armed with a
terrific double row of teeth, appeared. The dead
fish was engulfed, and the shark sank out of sight
But Jack was mistaken in supposing that it would
be satisfied. In a veiy few minutes it returned to
us, and its quick motions led us to fear that it would
attack us at once.

'' Stop paddling,'' cried Jack suddenly. ** I see it
coming up behind u& Now, obey my orders quickfy
Our lives may depend on it Ralph, Peterkin, do
your best to balanee the log. Don't look out for the
shark Don't glance behind you. Do nothing but
balance the log."

Peterkin and I instantly did as we were ordered,
being only too ^ad to do anything that afforded us

k

THB CORAL ISLAND. 77

a chance or a hope of escape, for we had implicit
confidence in Jack's courage and wisdom. For a
few seconds, that seemed long minutes to my mind,
we sat thus silently ; but I could not resist glandxig
backward, despite the orders to the contrary. On
doing so, I saw Jack sitting rigid like a statue, with
his paddle raised, his lips compressed, and his eye-
brows bent over his eyes, which glared savagely from
beneath them down into the water. I also saw the
shark, to my horror, quite dose under the log, in the
act of darting towards Jack's foot. I could scarce
suppress a cry on beholding this. In another mo-
ment the shark rose. Jack drew his leg suddenly
&om the water, and threw it over the log. The
monster's snout rubbed against the log as it passed,
and revealed its hideous jaws, into which Jack in-
stantly plunged the paddle, and thrust it down its
throat. So violent was this act that Jack rose to
his feet in performing it ; the log waa thereby rolled
completely over, and we were once more plunged
into the water. We all rose, spluttering and gasp-
ing, in a moment.

"Now, then, strike out for shore," cried Jack.
" Here, Peterkin, catch hold of my collar, and kick
out with a will."

Peterkin did as he was desired, and Jack struck
out with such force that he cut through the water

I

L

78 THB CORAL ISLAND.

like a boat; while I, being free from all encumbrance,
succeeded in keeping up with him. As we had by
this time drawn pretty near to the shore, a few
minutes more sufficed to cany us into shallow water;
and, finally, we landed in safety, though veiy much
exhausted, and not a little frightened by our terrible
adventure.

THE CORAL ISLAND* 79

CHAPTER VUI.

Tbe beauties of the bottom of the sea tempt Peterkin to diye— -How he did 5t->More
difflcnltiei oyeroome— The water garden— Carioua creaturea of tiie sea— The tank
—Candles missed rery much, and the candle-nnt tree dlaeorered— Wonderftil
aooonnt of Peterkin's first yoyage— Cloth found growhig on a tree— A plan pro-
jected, and arms prepared for offence and defence— A dreadftal cry.

OuB encounter with the shark was the first great
danger that had beMlen us since landing on this
island, and we felt very seriously affected by it, espe-
cially when we considered that we had so often
unwittingly incurred the same danger before while
bathing. We were now forced to take to fishing
again in the shallow water, until we should succeed
in constructing a raft. What troubled us most,
however, was, that we were compelled to forego our
morning swimming excursions. We did, indeed, con-
tinue to enjoy our bathe in the shallow water, but
Jack and I foimd that one great source of our enjoy-
ment was gone, when we could no longer dive down
among the beautiful coral groves at the bottom of
the lagoon. We had come to be so fond of this
exercise, and to take such an interest in watching
the formations of coral and the gambols of the many
beautiful fish amongst the forests of red and green
sea-weeds, that we had become quite familiar with
the appearance of the fish tmd the localities that

so TUB OOBAL ISLAKD.

they chiefly haunted. We had also become expert
divers. But we made it a rule never to stay long
under water at a tima Jack told me that to do so
often was bad for the lungs, and, instead of affording
us enjoyment, would ere long do us a serious injury.
So we never stayed at the bottom as long as we might
have done, but came up frequently to the top for
fresh air, and dived down again immediately. Some-
times, when Jack happened to be in a humorous
frame, he would seat himself at the bottom of the
sea on one of the brain corals, as if he were seated
on a large paddock-stool, and th^i make fitces at me,
in order, if possible, to make me laugh under water.
At first, when he took me unawares, he nearly suc-
ceeded, and I had to shoot to the sur£a.ce in order to
laugh ; but afterwards I became aware of his inten-
tions, and, being naturally of a grave disposition, I
had no difficulty in restraining mysel£ I used often
to wonder how poor Feterkin would have liked to
be with us; and he sometimes expressed much regret
at being unable to join us. I used to do my best
to gratify him, poor fellow, by relating all the won-
ders that we saw; but this, instead of satisfying,
seemed only to whet his curiosity the more, so one
day we prevailed on him to try to go down with u&
But, although a brave boy in every other way,
Peterkin was very nervous in the water, and it was

THE COBAL ISLAND. 81

with difficully we got him to consent to be taken
down, for he could never have managed to push
himself down to the bottom without assistance. But
no sooner had "we pulled him down a yard or so into
the deep dear water,- than he beg^ to struggle and
kick violently, so we were forced to let him go, when
he rose out of the water like a cork, gave a loud gasp
and a jQdghtful roar, and struck out for the land with
the utmost possible haste.

Now, all this pleasure we were to forego, and when
we thought thereon. Jack and I felt very much de-
pressed in our spirits. I could see, also, that Peter-
kin grieved and sympathized with us, for, when
talking about this matter, he refrained &om jesting
and bantering us upon it.

As, however, a man's difficulties usually set him
upon devising methods to overcome them, whereby
he often discovers better things than those he may
have lost, so this our difficulty induced us to think
of searching for a large pool among the rocks, where
the water should be deep enough for diving yet so
surrounded by rocks as to prevent sharks from get-
ting at u& And such a pool we afterwards found,
which proved to be very much better than our most
sanguine hopes anticipated. It was situated not
more than ten minutes' walk from our camp, and
was in the form of a smaU deep bay or basin, the

82 THB COBAL ISLAND.

eutranoe to which, besides being narrow, was so
shallow that no fish so large as a shark could get in,
at least not unless he should be a remarkably thin
one.

Inside of this basin, which we called our Water
Garden, the coral formations were much more won-
derful, and the sea-weed plants fiEo: more lovely and
vividly coloured, than in the lagoon itself And the
water was so dear and still, that, although very deep,
you could see the minutest object at the bottom.
Besides this, there was a ledge of rock. which over-
hung the basin at its deepest part, firom which we
could dive pleasantly and whereon Feterkin could
sit and see not only all the wonders I had described
to him, but also see Jack and me creeping amongst
the marine shrubbery at the bottom, like, — as he
expressed it^ — " two great white sea-monsters.'^
During these excursions of ours to the bottom of the
sea^ we began to get an insight into the manners and
customs of its inhabitants, and to make discoveries of
wonderful things, the like of which we never before
conceived Among other things, we were deeply
mterested with the operations of the little coral insect
which, I was informed by Jack, is supposed to have
entirely constructed many of the numerous islands in
Pacific Ocean. And, certainly, when we considered
the great reef which these insects had formed round

THE CORAL ISLAVD. 8S

the iedand on which we were cast, and observed their
ceaseless activity in building their myriad cells^ it did
at first seem as if this might be true; but then, again,
when I looked at the mountains of the island, and
reflected that there were thousands of such, many of
them much higher, in the South Seas, I doubted that
there must be some mistake here. But more of this
hereafter.

I also became much t&ken up with the manners
and appearance of the anemones, and stajvfish, and
crabs, and sea-urchins, and such-like creatures; and
was not content with watching those I saw during
my dives in the Water Garden, but I must needs
scoop out a hole in the coral rock dose to it, which I
filled with salt water, and stocked with sundry speci-
mens of anemones and sheU-fish, in order to watch
more closely how they were in the habit of passing
their time. Onr buming-glaas also now became a
great treasure to me, as it enabled me to magnify,
and so to perceive more clearly the forms and actions
of these curious creatures of the deep.

Having now got ourselves into a very comfortable
condition, we began to talk of a project which we had
long had in contemplation, — ^namely, to travel entirely
round the island; in order, first, to ascertain whether
it contained any other productions which might be
useful to us; and, second, to see whether there might

64 THE GOBAL ISLAND.

be any place more convenient and suitable for ova
permanent residence than that on which we were now
encamped. Not that we were in any degree dissatis-
fied with it ; on the contrary, we entertained quite
a home-feeling to our bower and its neighbourhood;
but if a better place did exist, there was no reason
why we should not make use of ii At any rate, it
would be well to know of its existence.

We had much earnest talk over this matter. But
Jack proposed that, before undertaking such an ex-
cursion, we should supply ourselves with good defen-
sive arms, for, as we intended not only to go round
all the shore, but to ascend most of the valleys,
before returning home, we should be likely to meet
in with, he would not say dangers, but» at least, with
everything that existed on the island, whatever that
might be.

" Besides,'^ said Jack, " it won't do for us to live
on cocoa-nuts and oysters always. No doubt they
are very excellent in their way, but I think a little
animal food, now and then, would be agreeable as
well as good for us ; and as there are many small
birds among the trees, some of which are probably
very good to eat, I think it would be a capital plan
fco make bows and arrows, with which we could easily
knock them over."

" First rate ! " cried Feterkin. " You will make the

THB CORAL ISLAKH. 85

howB, Jack, and 111 try my hand at the arrowa
The fact is, I'm quite tired of throwing stones at the
birds. I began the very day we landed, I think,
and have persevered up to the present time, but I've
never hit anything yet"

" You forget^" said I, " you hit me one day on the
shin."

"Ah, true," replied Peterkin, "and a precious
shindy you kicked up in consequence. But you
were at least four yards away from the impudent
paroquet I aimed at ; so you see what a horribly bad
shot I am."

" But," said I, " Jack, you cannot make three bows
and arrows before to-morrow, and would it not be a
pity to waste time, now that we have made up our
minds to go on this expedition? Suppose that you
make one bow and arrow for yourself and we can
take our dubs?"

" That's true, EalpL The day is pretty far ad-
vanced, and I doubt if I can make even one bow
before dark. To be sure I might work by fire-lighti,
after the sun goes down.'^

We had, up to this time, been in the habit of
going to bed with the sun, as we had no pressing
call to work o* nights; and, indeed, our work during
the day was usually hard enough, — ^what between
fishing, and improving our bower, and diving in the

* 86 THE COBAL ISLAND.

Water Qarden, and rambling tn the woods ; so that,
when night came, we were usually very glad to retire
to our beda But now that we had a desire to work
at night, we felt a wish for candles.

"Won'tagood blazing fire give you light enoughr
inquired Peterkin.

" Yes," replied Jack, " quite enough ; but then it
will give us a great deal more than enough of heat in
this Lm dixZ of ours."

" True/' said Peterkin; " I forgot that. It would
roast us."

" Well, as yotfre always doing that at any rate,"
remarked Jack, '' we could scarcely call it a change.
But the fjBict is, IVe been thinking over this subject
before. There is a certain nut growing in these
islands which is called the candle-nut, because the
natives use it instead of candles, and I know all about
it, and how to prepare it for burning—"

" Then why don^t you do it?" interrupted Peterkin.
" Why have you kept us in the dark so long, you vile
philosopher?"

" Because," said Jack, " I have not seen the tree
yet, and I^m not sure that I should know either the
tree or the nuts if I did see them. You see, I forget
the descriptioa"

** Ah! that's just the way with me," said Peterkin
witli a deep sigh. " I never could keep in my mind

THE COBAL ISLAND. 87

for half an hour the few desmptions I ever attempted
to remember. The very first voyage I ever made was
caused by my mistaking a description, or forgetting
it, which is the same thing. And a horrible voyage
it was. I had to fight with the captain the whole
way out, and made the homeward voyage by swim-
mmgl

" Come, Peterkin," said I, " you can't get even me
to believe that"

"Perhaps not, but it's true, notwithstanding,"
returned Peterkin, pretending to be hurt at my
doubting his word.

" Let us hear how it happened," said Jack, while
a good-natured smile overspread his face.

"Well, you must know," began Peterkin, "that
the very day before I went to sea, I was greatly
taken up with a game at hockey, which I was
playing with my old school-feUows for the last time
before leaving them. You see I was young then,
Balph." Peterkin gazed, in an abstracted and me^
lancholy manner, out to sea! "Well, in the midst
of the game, my uncle, who had taken all the bother
and trouble of getting me bound 'prentice and rigged
out, came and took me aside, and told me that he
was called suddenly away from home, and would not
be able to see me aboard, as he had intended.
* However,' said he, 'the captain knows you ara

88 THE CORAL ISLAND.

coining, so that's not of much consequence; but as
youll have to find the ship yourself, you must
remember her name and descriptioa D'ye hear,
boy?' I certainly did hear, but I'm afraid I did not
miderstaad, for my mind wa« so taken up with the
game, which I saw my side was losing, that I began
to grow impatient, and the moment my uncle finished
his description of the ship, and bade me good-bye, I
bolted back to my game, with only a confused idea
of three masts, and a green painted tafiferel, and a gilt
figure-head of Hercules with his dub at the bow.
Next day I was so much cast down with everybody
sayiBg good-bye, and alot o'my female Mends cryin'
horribly over me, that I did not start for the harbour,
where the ship was lying among a thousand others,
till it was almost too late. So I had to run the
whole way. When I reached the pier, there were so
many masts, and so much confusion, that I felt quite
humblebumbled in my faculties. 'Now,' said I to
myself, * Peterkin, you're in a fibs.' Then I fancied I
saw a gilt figure-head and three masts, belonging to
a ship just about to start; so I darted on board, but
speedily jumped on shore again, when I found that
two of the masts belonged to another vessel, and the
figure-head to a third ! At last I caught sight of
what I made sure was it, — a fine large vessel just
casting ofi* her moorings. The tafferel was greea

THE CORAL ISLAND. 89

Three maats, — jes, that must be it, — and the gilt
figure-head of Herculea To be sure it had a three-
pronged pitchfork in its hand instead of a dub; but
that might be my uncle's mistake; or perhaps Her-
cules sometimes varied his weapons. 'Cast off!^
roared a voice from the quarter-deck. 'Hold on!'
cried I, rushing franticly through the crowd- ' Hold
on! hold on!' repeated some of the bystanders, while
the men at the ropes delayed for a minute. This
threw the captain into a frightful rage; for some of
his Mends had come down to see him off, and having
his orders contradicted so flatly was too much for
him. However, the delay was sufficient. I took a
race and a good leap; the ropes were cast off; the
steam-tug gave a puff, and we started. Suddenly
the captain walks up to me : ' Where did you come
from, you scamp, and what do you want here?'

"* Please, sir,' said I, touching my cap, ' I'm you're
new 'prentice come aboard.'

"*New 'prentice/ said he, stamping, ' I've got no
new 'prentice. My boys are all aboard already.
This is a trick, you young blackguard. You've run
away, you have;' and the captain stamped about the
deck and swore dreadMly; for, you see, the thought
of having to stop the ship and lower a boat and lose
half an hour, all for the sake of sending a small boy
ashore, seemed to make him very angry. Besides, it

90 THE CORAL ISLAND.

was blowin' fresh outside the harbour, so that, to' have
let the steamer alongside to put me into it was no
easy job. Just as we were passing the pier-head,
where several boats were rowing into harbour, the
captain came up to me, —

"' You've run away, you blackguard,' he said, giving
me a box on the ear.

"'No t liaven t,' said I, angrily; for the box was by
no means a light ona

"* Hark'ee, boy, can you swim?*

"'Yes,' said I.

"' Then do it,' and, seizing me by my trousers and
the nape of my neck, he tossed me over the side into
the sea. The fellows in the boats at the end of the
pier, backed their oars on seeing this; but observing
that I c^uld swim, they allowed me to make the best
of my way to the pier-head So, you see, Balpli,
that I really did swim my first homeward voyage."

Jack laughed and patted Feterkin on the shoulder.

" But teU us about the candle-nut tree," said I ;
" you were talking about it."

" Very true," said Jack, " but I fear I can remem-
ber little about it. I believe the nut is about the
size of a walnut; and I think that the leaves are
white, but I am not sure,"

"Eh! ha! hum!" exclaimed Peterkin, "I saw a
tree answering to that description this very day."

THE CORAL ISLAND. 9]

•* Did you?" cried Jack. " Is it fiatr from this?"

" No, not haJf a mile."

" Then lead me to it," said Jack, seizing his axa

In a few minutes we were all three pushing through
the underwood of the forest, headed by Feterkin.

We soon came to the tree in question^ which, after
Jack had closely examined it, we concluded must be
the candle-nut tree. Its leaves were of a beautiful
silvery white, and formed a fine contrast to the
dark-green foliage of the surrounding trees. We
immediately filled our pockets with the nuts, after
which Jack said, —

"Now, Feterkin, climb that cocoa-nut tree and cut
me one of the long branchea"

This was soon done, but it cost some trouble, for
the stem was very high, and as Feterkin usually
pulled nuts from the younger trees, he was not much
flKwostomed to climbing the high onea The leaf or
branch was a very large one, and we were surprised
at its size and strength. Viewed from a UtUe dis-
tance, the cocoa-nut tree seems to be a tall, straight
stem, without a single branch except at the top, where
there is a tuft of feathery-looking leaves, that seem
to wave like soft plumes in the wind. But when we
saw one of these leaves or branches at our feet, we
found it to be a strong stalk, about fifbeen feet long,
with a number of narrow, pointed leaflets ranged al-

92 THB CORAL ISLAND.

temately on each side. But what seemed to us the
most wonderful thing about it was a curious substance
resembling doth, which was wrapped round the thick
end of the stalk, where it had been cut £rom the tree.
Feterkin told us that he had the greatest difSiculty in
separating the branch fix)m the stem, on account of
this substance, as it was wrapped quite round the
tree, and, he observed, round all the other branches,
thus forming a strong support to the large leaves
while exposed to high -winds. When I call this sub-
stance doth I do not exaggerate. Indeed, with re-
gard to aU the things I saw during my eventful career
in the South Seas, I have been exceedingly careful
not to exaggerate, or in any way to mislead or deceive
my readera This doth, I say, was remarkably like
to coarse brown cotton dotL It had a seam or fibre
down the centre of it, from which diverged other
fibres, about the size of a bristla There were two
layers of these fibres, very long and tough, the one
layer crossing the other obliquely, and the whole was
cemented together with a still finer fibrous and
adhesive substance. When we regarded it attentively,
we could with difficulty believe that it had not been
woven by human hands. This remarkable piece of
cloth we stripped carefully off, and found it to be
above two feet long, by a foot broad, and we carried
it home with us as a great priza

THE CORAL ISLAND. 98

Jack now took one of the leaflets, and, catting
out the central spine or stalk, hurried back with it to
our camp. Having made a small fire, he baked the
nuts slightly, and then pealed off the husks. After
this he wished to bore a hole in them, which, not
having anything better at hand at the time, he did
with the point of our useless pencil-case. Then he
strung them on the cocoa-nut spine, and on putting
a light to the topmost nut^ we found to our joy that
it burned with a dear, beautiful flame ; upon seeing
which, Feterkin sprang up and danced round the
fire for at least five minutes in the excess of his
satisfaction.

'* Now lads,'' said Jack, extinguishing our candle,
" the sun will set in an hour, so we have no time to
lose. I shall go and cut a young tree to make my
bow out o^ and you had better each of you go and
select good strong sticks for dubs^ and well set to
work at them after dark."

So saying he shouldered his axe and went off,
followed by Peterkin, while I took up the piece of
newly discovered doth, and fell to examining its struc-
ture. So engrossed was I in this that I was still
sitting in the same attitude and occupation when my
companions returned.

"I told you so!'' cried Feterkin, with a loud laugh.
" Oh, Ralph, you're incorrigible. See, there's a dub

94 THE CORAL ISLAND.

for yoiL 1 was sure, when we left you looking at
that bit of stuff, that we would find you poring over
it when we came back, so I just cut a dub for you
as weU as for myself"

" Thank you, Peterkin," said I. "It was kind of
you to do that, instead of scolding me for a lazy
fellow, as I confess I deserva"

" Oh ! sa to that," returned Peterkin, " 111 blow
you up yet, if you wish it — only it would be of no
use if I did, for you're a perfect mule \"

Ad it was now getting dark we lighted our candle,
and placing it in a holder made of two crossing
branches, inside of our bower, we seated ourselves on
our leafy beds and began to work.

"I intend to appropriate the bow fbr my own
use,'' said Jack, chipping the piece of wood he had
brought with his axe. " I used to be a pretty &ir
shot once. But what's that you're doing?" he added,
looking at Peterkin, who had drawn the end of a
long pole into the tent, and was endeavouring to
fit a small piece of the hoop-iron to the end
of it

*' I'm going to enlist into the Lancers," answered
Peterkin. " Tou see. Jack, I find the dub rather
an imwieldy instrument for my delicately-formed
muscles, and I flatter myself I shall do more execu-
tion with a spear."

THE CORAL ISLAND. 95

"Well, if length constitutes power/' said Jack,
*' youTl certainly be invincible."

The pole which Peterkin had cut was full twelve
feet long, being a very strong but light and tough
young tree, which merely required thinning at the
butt to be a serviceable weapon.

" That's a very good idea," said I.

"Which — this?" inquired Peterkin, pointing to
the spear.

"Yes;"IrepUed.

" Humph!" said he; " you'd find it a pretty tough
and matter-of-fact idea, if you had it stuck through
your gizzard, old boy!"

" I mean the idea of making it is a good one,"
said I, laughing. "And, now I think of it, 111
change my plan, too. I don't think much of a dub,
so I'll make me a sling out of this piece of doth. I
used to be very fond of slinging, ever since I read of
David slaying Goliath the Philistine, and I was once
thought to be expert at ii"

So I set to work to manufacture a sling. For a
long time we all worked very busily without speak-
ing. At length Peterkin looked up : "I say. Jack,
I'm sorry to say I must apply to you for another
strip of your handkerchief, to tie on this rascally
head with. It's pretty wdl torn at any rate, so you
won't miss it"

96 THE CORAL ISLAND.

•' Jack proceeded to comply with this request
when Peterkin suddenly laid his hand on his arm
and arrested him.

"Hist, man," said he, "be tender; you should
never be needlessly cruel if you can help it. Do try
to shave past Lord Nelson's mouth without tearing
it, if possible! Thanks. There are plenty more
handkerchiefe on the cocoa-nut trees.''

Poor Peterkin ! with what pleasant feelings I re-
call and recoid his jests and hmnorous sayings now!

While we were thus engaged, we were startled by
a distant but most strange and horrible cry. It
seemed to come from the sea, but was so far away
that we could not clearly distinguish its precise
direction. Bushing out of our bower, we hastened
down to the beach and stayed to listen. Again it
came qidte loud and distinct on the night air, — a
prolonged, hideous cry, something like the braying
of an asa The moon had risen, and we could see
the islands in and beyond the lagoon quite plainly,
but there was no object visible to account for such a
cry. A strong gust of wind was blowing from the
point whence the sound came, but this died away
while we were gazing out to sea.

" What can it be?" said Peterkin, in a low whis-
per, while we all involimtarily crept closer to each
other.

THE COSAL ISLAin). 97

'* Do you know," said Jack, " I have heard thai
mysterious sound twice before, but never so loud as
to-night Indeed it was so faint that I thought I
must have merely fencied it, so, as I did not wish to
alarm you, I said nothing about it."

We listened for a long time for the sound again,
but as it did not come, we returned to the bower
and resumed our work.

" Very strange," said Peterkin, quite gravely.
" Do you believe in ghosts, Ealph?"

" No," I answered, " I do not. Nevertheless I
must confess that strange, unaccountable sounds, such
as we have just heard, make me feel a little uneasy."

" What say you to it. Jack?"

" I neither beUeve in ghosts nor feel uneasy," he
replied. " I never saw a ghost myself, and I never
met with any one who had; and I have generally
found that strange and unaccountable things have
almost always been accounted for, and found to be
quite simple, on dose examination. I certainly can't
imagine what thai sound is ; but I'm quite sure I
shall find out before long, — and if it's a ghost I'll —

ru— "

" Eat it," cried Peterkin.

" Yes, I'll eat it ! Now, then, my bow and two
arrows are finished; so if you're ready we had better

turn in."

7

98 THE CORAL ISLAND.

By this time Peterkin had thinned down his spear
and tied an iron point very cleverly to the end of it;
I had formed a sling, the lines of which were com-
posed of thin strips of the cocoa-nut doth, plaited ;
and Jack had made a stout bow, nearly five feet
long, with two arrows, feathered with two or three
large pliunes which some bird had dropt They had
no barbs, but Jack said that if arrows were well
feathered, they did not require iron points, but
would fly quite well if merely sharpened at the
point; which I did not know before.

" A feathered arrow without a barb," said he, " is
a good weapon, but a barbed arrow without feathers
is utterly useless."

The string of the bow was formed of our piece of
whip-cord, part of which, as he did not like to cut it,
was rolled round the bow.

Although thus prepared for a start on the morrow,
we thought it wise to exercise ourselves a little in
the use of our weapons before starting, so we spent
the whole of the next day in practising. And it
was well we did so, for we found that our arms were
very imperfect, and that we were far from perfect in
the use of them. First, Jack found that the bow
was much too strong, and he had to thin it. Also
the spear was much too heavy, and so had to be
reduced in thickness, although nothing would induce

THE CORAL I8LAin>. 99

Peterkin to have it shortened. My aling answered
veiy well, but I had fallen so much out of practice
that my first stone knocked off Peterkin's hat, and
narrowly missed making a second Goliath of him.
However, after having spent the whole day in dili-
gent practice, we began to find some of our former
expertness returning — at least Jack and I did. As
fbr Peterkin, being naturally a neat-handed boy, he
soon handled his spear well, and could run full tilt
at a cocoa nut, and hit it with great precision once
out of every five times.

But I feel satisfied that we owed mudi of our
rapid success to the unflagging energy of Jack, who
insisted that, since we had made him Captain, we
should obey him ; and he kept us at work fi-om
morning till night, perseveringly, at the same tiling.
Peterkin wished veiy much to run about and stick
his spear into everything he passed ; but Jack put
up a cocoa nut, and would not let him leave off run-
ning at that for a moment, except when he wanted
to rest. We laughed at Jack for this, but we were
both convinced that it did us much good.
. That night we examined and repaired our arms
ere we lay down to rest, although we were much
fatigued, in order that we might be in readiness to
set out on our expedition at daylight on the follow-
ing momiiig.

100

THE COBAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER DC.

Prepare for ajonmeyroiind the idand— Sagacious reflectioni—Mysterioiis appecir

anoes and itartling oocarrences.

SCABCELT had the sun shot its first ray across the
bosom of the broad Pacific, when Jack sprang to his
feet, and, hallooing in Peterkin's ear to awaken him,
ran down the beach to take his customary dip in
the sea. We did not, as was our wont, bathe that
morning in our Water Garden, but, in order to save
time, refreshed ourselves in the shallow water just
opposite the bower. Our breakfast was also de-
spatched without loss of time, and in less than an
hour afterwards all our preparations fbr the jomney
were completed.

In addition to his ordinary dress. Jack tied a belt
of cocoa-nut cloth round his waist, into which he
thrust the axe. I was also advised to put on a belt
and carry a short cudgel or bludgeon in it ; for, as
Jack truly remarked, the sling would be of little use
if we should chance to come to dose quarters with
any wild animal As for Peterkin, notwithstanding
that he carried such a long, and I must add, fright-
ful-looking spear over his shoulder, we could not
prevail on him to leave his dub behind ; " for,'* said

THE COBAL ISLAKD. lOi

he, " a spear at close quarters is not worth a button."
[ must say that it seemed to me that the dub was,
to use his own style of language, not worth a button-
hole; for it was all knotted over at the head, some-
thing like the club which I remember to have
observed in picture-books of Jack the Giant Killer,
besides being so heavy that he required to grasp it
with both hands m order to wield it at alL How-
ever, he took it with him, and, in this manner we
set out upon our travels.

We did not consider it necessary to carry any food
with us, as we knew that wherever we went we
should be certain to fall in with cocoa-nut trees;
having which, we were amply supplied, as Peterkin
said, with meat and drink and pocket-handkerchie& !
I took the precaution, however, to put the burning-
glass into my pocket, lest we should want fire.

The morning was exceeding lovely. It was one
of that very stUl and peaceful sort which made the
few noises that we heard seem to be quiet noisea I
know no other way of expressing this idea. Noises
which — so far jfrom interrupting the universal tran-
quillity of earth, sea, and sky — ^rather tended to
reveal to us how quiet the world around us really
was. Such sounds as I refer to were, the peculiarly
melancholy — yet, it seemed to me, cheerful — ^plaint
of sea-birds floating on the glassy water, or sailing in

102 THK CORAL i»uan>.

the sky, also the subdued twittering of little birds
among the bushes, the &int ripples on the beach, and
the solemn boom of the surf upon the distant coral
reef We felt very glad in our hearts as we walked
along the sands side by side. For my part, I felt
so deeply overjoyed, that I was surprised at my own
sensations, and fell into a reverie upon the caui^s of
happiness. I came to the conclusion that a state of
profound peace and repose, both in regard to out-
ward objects and within the soul, is the happiest
condition in which man can be placed ; for, although
I had many a time been most joyful and happy
when engaged in bustling, energetic, active pursuits
or amusements, I never found that such joy or satis-
Suction was so deep or so pleasant to reflect upon as
that which I now experienced. And I was the more
confirmed in this opinion when I observed, and, in-
deed, was told by himself that Peterkin's happiness
was also very great ; yet he did not express this by
dancing, as was his wont, nor did he give so much
as a single shout, but walked quietly between us
with his eye sparkling, and a joyful smile upon his
countenance. My reader must not suppose that I
thought all this in the dear and methodical manner
m which I have set it down here. These thoughts
did, indeed, pass through my mind, but they did so
in a very confused and indefinite manner, for I was

THE OORAL ISLAND. 108

young at that time, and not muph given to deep
reflectiona. Neither did I consider that the peace
whereof I write is not to be found in this world — at
least in its perfection, although I have since learned
that by religion a man may attain to a very great
degree of it.

I have said that Feterkin walked along the sands
between us. We had two ways of walking together
about our island. When we travelled through the
woods, we always did so in single file, as by this
method we advanced with greater £eicility, the one
treading in the other's footstepa In such cases Jack
always took the lead, Feterkin followed, and I brought
up the rear. But when we travelled along the sands,
which extended almost in an unbroken line of glisten-
ing white round the island, we marched abreast, as
we found this method more sociable, and every way
more pleasani Jack, being the tallest, walked next
the sea, and Feterkin marched between us, as by this
arrangement either of us could talk to him or he to
us, while if Jack and I happened to wish to converse
together, we could conveniently do so over Feterkin s
head. Feterkin used to say, in reference to this ar-
rangement, that had he been as tall as either of us,
our order of march might have been the same, for,
as Jack often used to scold him for letting everything
we said to him pass in at one ear and out at the

104 THE CORAL ISLAND.

other, his head could of course form no interruption
to our discourse.

We were now fairly started. Half a mile's walk
conveyed us round a bend in the land which shut
out our bower from view, and for some time we
advanced at a brisk pace without speaking, though
our eyes were not idle, but noted everything, in the
woods, on the shore, or in the sea, that was inter-
esting. After passing the ridge of land that formed
one side of our valley — the Valley of the Wreck —
we beheld another small vale lying before us in all
the luxuriant loveliness of tropical vegetation. We
had, indeed, seen it before from the moimtain-top,
but we had no idea that it would turn out to be so
much more lovely when we were close to ii We
were about to commence the exploration of this valley,
when Peterkin stopped us, and directed our attention
to a very remarkable appearance in advance along
the shore.

"What's yon, think you?*' said he, levelling his
spear, as if he expected an immediate attack from ,

the object in question, though it was full half a mile T

distant.

As he spoke, there appeared a white coliunn above
the rocks, as if of steam or spray. It rose upwards
to a height of several feet, and then disappeared.
Had this been near the sea, we would not have been

THK CORAL ISLAKD. 105

BO greatly surprised, as it might in that case have
been the surf, for at this part of the coast the coral
reef approached so near to the island that in some
parts it almost joined it There was therefore no
lagoon between, and the heavy surf of the ocean beat
almost up to the rocka But this white column ap-
peared about fifty yards inland. The rocks at the
place were rugged, and they stretched across the
sandy beach into the sea. Scarce had we ceased
expressing our surprise at this sight, when ^mother
column flew upwards for a few seconds, not far fix>m
the spot where the first had been seen, and disap-
peared; and so, at long irregular intervals, these
strange sights recurred. We were now quite sure
that the columns were watery or composed of spray,
but what caused them we could not guess, so we
determined to go and see.

In a few minutes we gained the spot, which was
very rugged and precipitous, and, moreover, quite
damp with the falling of the spray. We had much
ado to pass over dry-shod. The groimd also was
full of holes here and there. Now, while we stood
anxiously waiting for the re-appearance of these
water-spouts, we heard a low, rumbling sound nea^
us, which quickly increased to a gurgling and hissing
noise, and a moment afterwards a thick spout of
water burst upwards from a hole in the rock, and

106 THE CORAL ISLAND.

q)outed into the air with much violeuoe, and so
dose to where Jack and I were standing that it
nearly touched ua We sprang to one side, but not
before a doud of spray descended, and drenched us
both to the skin.

Peterkin, who was standing forther off. escaped
with a few drops, and burst into an uncontrollable
fit of laughter on beholding our miserable plight.

"Mind your eye!" he shouted eagerly, "there
goes another \'* The words were scarcely out of his
mouth when there came up a spout from another
hole, which served us exactly in the same manner
as before.

Peterkin now shrieked with laughter; but his
merriment was abruptly put a stop to by the gur-
gling noise occurring close to where he stood.

" Wherell it spout this time, I wonder?" be said,
looking about with some anxiety, and preparing to
run. Suddenly there came a loud hiss or snort ; a
fierce spout of water burst up between Peterkin's
legs, blew him off his feet, enveloped him in its
spray, and hurled him to the ground. He fell with
so much violence that we feared he must have broken
some of his bones, and ran anxiously to his assist-
ance; but fortunately he had fallen on a clump of
tangled herbage, in which he lay sprawling in a most
deplorable condition.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 107

It was now our turn to laugh; but as we were not
yet quite sure that he was unhurt, and as we knew
not wheu or where the next spout might arise, we
aasisted him hastUyto jump up and huny from the spot

I may here add, that although I am quite certain
that the spout of water was very strong, and that it
blew Peterkin completely off his legs, I am not quite
certain of the exact height to which it lifted him,
being somewhat startled by the event, and bUnded
partially by the spray, so that my power of observa-
tion was somewhat impaired for the moment.

" What's to be done now?" inquired Peterkin rue-
fuUy.

" Make a fire, lad, and dry ourselves,'* replied
Jack.

" And here is material ready to our hand," said
I, picking up a dried branch of a tree, as we hurried
up to the woods.

In about an hour after this mishap our clothes
were again dried. While they were hanging up
before the fire, we walked down to the beach, and
soon observed that these carious spouts took place
immediately after the fiall of a huge wave, never be-
fore it ; and, moreover, that the spouts did not take
place excepting when the billow was an extremely
large one. From this we concluded that there must
be a subterraneous channel in the rock into which

108 THE CORAL ISLAND.

the water was driven by the larger waves, and find-
ing no way of escape except through these small
holes, was thus forced up violently through them.
At any rate, we could not conceive any other reason
for these strange waternspouts, and as this seemed a
very simple and probable one, we forthwith adopted it.

'* I say, Ralph, what's that in the water ? is it a
shark?" said Jack, just as we were about to quit the
place.

I immediately ran to the overhanging ledge of
rock, from which he was looking down into the sea,
and bent over it There I saw a very faint pale
object of a greenish colour, which seemed to move
slightly while I looked at it

** It's like a fish of some sort," said I.

" Hallo, Peterkin \" cried Jack, "fetch your spear;
here's work for it"

But when we tried to reach the object, the spear
proved to be too short.

" There, now," said Peterkin with a sneer, " you
were always telling me it was too. long."

Jack now drove the spear forcibly towards the
object, and let go his hold ; but, although it seemed
to be well aimed, he must have missed, for the handle
soon rose again ; and when the spear was drawn up,
there was the pale green object in exactly the same
spot, slowly moving its tail

THE CORAL I8LAND. 109

" Very odd," said Jack.

But although it* was undoubtedly very odd, and
although Jack and all of us plunged the spear at it
repeatedly, we could neither hit it nor drive it away,
BO we were compelled to continue our journey without
discoveriBg what it waa I was very much perplexed
at this strange appearance in the water, and could
not get it out of my mind for a long time afberwarda
However, I quieted myself by resolving that I would
pay a visit to it again at some more convenient
season.

110 THX OORAL T8LAHD.

CHAPTER X.

Make diaeoyerjr of many excellent roots and fhilt»— The resources of the Coral lalaiid
gradnally nnfolded— The banian-tree— Another tree which Is supported by natural
planks— Water-fowl foond— A very remarkable discovery, and a Tery peculiar
murder— We luxuriate on the flit of the land.

Our examination of the little valley proved to be
altogether most satisfactory. We found in it not
only similar trees to those we had already seen in
our own vaUey, but also one or two others of a
different spedea We had also the satisfaction of dis-
covering a peculiar vegetable, which Jack concluded
must certainly be that of which he had read as being
very common among the South Sea islanders, and
which was named ta/ro. Also we found a large
supply of yams, and another root like a potato in
appearance. As these were all quite new to us, we
regarded our lot as a most fortunate one, in being
thus cast on an island which was so prolific and so
well stored with all the necessaries of life. Long
afterwards we found out that this island of ours was
no better in these respects than thousands of other
islands in those seas. Indeed, many of them were
much richer and more productive ; but that did not
render us the less grateful for our present good for-
tune. We each put one of these roots in oiu: pocket,

THE CORAL ISLAND. Ill

intending to use them for our supper; of which more
hereafter. We also saw many beautiful birds here,
and traces of some four-footed animal again. Mean-
while the sun began to descend, so we returned to
the shore, and pushed on round the spouting rocks
into the next valley. This was that valley of which
I have spoken as running across the entire island.
It was by far the largest and most beautiful that
we had yet looked upon. Here were trees of every
shape and size and hue which it is possible to con-
oeive of, many of which we had not seen in the
other valleys; for, the stream in this valley being
larger, and the mould much richer than in the Valley
of the Wreck, it was clothed with a more luxuriant
growth of trees and plants. Some trees were dark
glossy green, others of a rich and warm hue, contrast-
ing well with those of a pale light green, which were
everywhere abundant. Among these we recognised
the broad dark heads of the bread-fruit, with its
golden fruit ; the pure, silvery foliage of the candle-
nut, and several species which bore a strong resem-
blance to the pine ; while here and there, in groups
and in single trees, rose the taU forms of the cocoa-nut
palms, spreading abroad, and waving their graceful
plumes high above all the rest, as if they were
a superior race of stately giants keeping guard
over these luxuriant forests. Oh ! it was a most

112 THK GORAI, ISIJLND.

enchanting scene, and I thanked God for having
created such delightful spots for the use of man.

Now, while we were gazing around us in silent
admiration, Jack uttered an exclamation of surprise,
and, pointing to an object a little to one side of us,
said, —

" That's a banian-tree,"

"And what's a banian-tree?" inquired Peterkin,
as we walked towards it.

" A very curious one, as you shall see presently,"
replied Jack. " It is called the aoa here, if I recollect
rightly, and has a wonderful peculiarity about it
What an enormous one it is, to be sure."

''It!" repeated Peterkin; " why, there are dozens
of banians here! What do you mean by talking bad
grammar? Is your philosophy deserting you, Jack?"

"There is but one tree here of this kind," re-
turned Jack, " as you wiU perceive if you will ex-
amine it. " And, sure enough, we did find that what
we had supposed was a forest of trees was in reality
only one. Its bark was of a light colour, and had
a shining appearance, the leaves being lance-shaped,
small, and of a beautiful pea-green. But the won-
derful thing about it was, that the branches^ which
grew out from the stem horizontally, sent down long
shoots or fibres to the ground, which, taking root,
had themselves become trees, and were covered with

THE C0R4L ISLAND. 113

bark like the tree itsel£ Many of these fibres had
descended from the branches at various distances,
and thus supported them on natural pillars, some of
which were so large and strong, that it was not
easy at first to distinguish the o£&pring from the
parent stem. The fibres were of all sizes and in all
states of advancement, from the pillars we have just
mentioned to small cords which hung down and
. were about to take root, and thin brown threads
still &r from the ground, which swayed about with
every motion of wind In short, it seemed to us^
that, if there were only space afforded to it, this
single tree would at length cover the whole island.

Shortly after this we came upon another remark-
able tree, which, as its peculiar formation afterwards
proved extremely useful to us, merits description. It
was a splendid chestnut, but its proper name Jack
did not know. However, there were quantities of
fine nuts upon it, some of which we put in our
pockets. But its stem was the wonderful part of it
It rose to about twelve feet without a branch, and
was not of great thickness; on the contrary, it was
remarkably slender for the size of the tree; but, to
make up for this, there were four or five wonderful
pirojections in this stem, which I cannot better de-
scribe than by asking the reader to suppose that five
planks of two inches tHidk and three feet broad had

8 .

114 THE CORAL ISLAND.

been placed round the trunk of the tree, with their
edges closely fixed to it, from the ground up to the
bra«nches, and that these planks had been covered
over with the bark of the tree and incorporated with
ii In short, they were just natural buttresses, with-
out which the stem could not have supported its
heavy and umbrageous top. We foimd these chest-
nuts to be very numerous. They grew chiefly on
the banks of the stream, and were of all sizes.

While we were examining a small tree of this
kind. Jack chipped a piece off a buttress with his
axe, and found the wood to be firm and easily cut.
He then struck the axe into it with aU his force, and
very soon split it off dose to the tree, first, however,
having cut it across transversely above and below.
By this means he satisfied himself that we could now
obtain short planks, as it were all ready sawn, of
any size and thickness that we desired; which was a
very great discovery indeed, perhaps the most im-
portant we had yet made.

We now wended our way back to the coast, in-
tending to encamp near the beach, as we found that
the mosquitoes were troublesome in the forest. On
our way we could not help admiring the birds which
flew and chirped around us. Among them we ob-
served a pretty kind of paroquet, with a green body,
a blue head, and a red breast; also a few beautiful

TRIE CORAL ISLAND. 1 15

turtle-doves, and several flocks of wood-pigeons.
The hues of many of these birds were extremely
vivid, — bright green, blue, and scarlet, being the pre-
vailing tint& We made several attempts through-
out the day to bring down one of these, both with
the bow and the sling, — ^not for mere sport, but to
ascertain whether they were good for food. But we
invariably missed, although once or twice we were
very near hitting. As evening drew on, however, a
flock of pigeons flew past I slung a stone into the
midst of them at a venture, and had the good for-
time to kill one. We were startled, soon afber, by
a loud whistling noise above our heads; and on look-
ing up, saw a flock of wHd ducks making for the
coast. We watched these, and, observing where they
alighted, followed them up until we came upon a
most lovely blue lake, not more than two hundred
yards long, imbosomed in verdant trees. Its placid
sur&ce, which reflected every leaf and stem, as if in
a mirror, was covered with various species of wild
ducks, feeding among the sedges and broad-leaved
water-plants which floated on it, while numerous
birds like water-hens ran to and fro most busily on
'ts margin. These all with one accord flew tumul-
tuously away the instant we made our appearance.
While walking along the margin we observed fish in
the water, but of what sort we could not teU.

116 THE OOBAL I8LAKD.

Now, as we neared the shore, Jack and I said we
would go a little out of our way to see if we could
procure one of those ducks; so, directing Peterkin to
go straight to the shore and kindle a fire, we sepa-
rated, promising to rejoin him speedily. But we did
not find the ducks, although we made a diligent
search for half an hour. We were about to retrace
our steps, when we were arrested by one of the
strangest sights that we had yet beheld.

Just in front of us, at the distance of about ten
yards, grew a superb tree, which certainly was the
largest we had yet seen on the island. Its trunk
wrat least five feet in diameter, with a smooth
gray bark; above this the spreading branches were
clothed with light green leaves^ amid which were
clusters of bright yeUow fruit, so numerous as to
weigh down the boughs with their great weight
This fruit seemed to be of the plum species, of an
oblong form, and a good deal larger than the
magnum bonum plum. The ground at the foot of
this tree was thickly strewn with the fallen fruit,
in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every pos-
sible attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and
sizes, apparently quite surfeited with a recent ban-
quet.

Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as
we gazed at these coarse, fat, ill-looking animaH

THE CORAL ISLAND. 1 17

while they lay groaping and snoring heavily amid
the remains of their supper.

" Now, Ralph," said Jack, in a low whisper, " put
a stone in your sling, — a good big one, — and let fly
at that fat feUow with his back toward you. I'll
try to put an arrow into yon little pig."

"Don't you think we had better put them up
first f I whispered; " it seems cruel to kill them while
adeep."

" If I wanted sporty Balph, I would certainly set
them up; but as we only want 'porh, well let them
lie. Besides^ we're not sure of kiUiog them; so, fire
away."

Thus admonished, I slimg my stone with so good
aim that it went bang against the hog's fiank as if
against the head of a drum; but it had no other
effect than that of causing the animal to start to its
feet> with a frightful yell of smrprise, and scamper
away. At the same instant Jack's bow twanged,
and the arrow pinned the little pig to the ground by
the ear.

" I've missed, after all,'* cried Jack, darting for-
ward with uplifted axe, while the little pig uttered a
loud squeal, tore the arrow from the ground, and
ran away with it, along with the whole drove, into
the bushes and disappeared, though we heard them
screaming long afterwards in the distance.

118 THE CORAL ISLAND.

'' That's very provokiiig, now,*' said Jack, rubbing
the point of his nose.

" Very/' I replied, stroking my chin.

'* Well, we must make haste and rejoin Peterkin,''
said Jack. "It's getting late.'' And, without
further remark, we threaded our way quickly through
the woods towards the shore.

When we reached it^ we found wood laid out, the
fire lighted and beginning to kindle up, with other
signs of preparation for our encampment, but Peter-
kin was nowhere to be found. We wondered very
much at this; but Jack suggested that he might
have gone to fetdi water; so he gave a shout to let
him know that we had arrived, and sat down upon a
rock, while I threw off my jacket and seized the axe,
intending to split up one or two billets of wood. But
I had scarce moved from the spot when, in the dis-
tance, we heard a most appalling shriek, which was
followed up by a chorus of yells from the hogs, and
aloud "hurrah!"

" I do believe," said I, " that Peterkin has met
with the hogs."

" When Greek meets Greek," said Jack, soliloquiz-
ing, " then comes the tug of — "

"Hurrah!" shouted Peterkin in the distance.

We turned hastily towards the direction whence
the sound came, and soon descried Peterkin walking

THE GOSAL ISLAND. 119

along the beach towards us with a little pig trans*
fixed on the end of his long spear!

"Well done, my boy I" exclaimed Jack, slapping
him on the shoulder when he came up, " you're the
best shot amongst us."

''Look here JackT' cried Peterkin, as he disen-
gaged the animal from his spear. " Do you recog-
nise that holer said he, pointing to the pig's ear ;
"and are you familiar with this arrow, eh?"

« Well, I declare !" said Jack.

" Of course you do," interrupted Peterkin; " but,
pray, restrain your dedaiations at this time, and
let's have supper, ioi I'm uncommonly hungry, I can
tell you; and it's no joke to charge a whole herd of
swine with their great-grandmother bristling like a
giant porcupine at the head of them!"

We now set about preparing supper; and, truly, a
good display of viands we made, when aQ was laid
out on a flat rock in the light of the blazing fire.
There was, first of all, the little pig; then there was
ihe taro-root, and the yam, and the potato, and six
plums; and, lastly, the wood-pigeon. To these Peter-
kin added a bit of sugar-cane, which he had cut from
a little patch of that plant which he had found not
long after separating from us; '' and," said he, " the
patch was somewhat in a square form, which con-
vinces me it must have been planted by man."

120 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" Very likely," replied Jack. " From all we have
Been, Fm inclined to think that some of the savages
must have dwelt here long ago."

We found no small difficulty in making up our
minds how we were to cook the pig. None of us
had ever cut up one before, and we did not know
exactly how to be^; besides, we had nothing but
the axe to do it with, our knife having been for-
gotten. At last Jack started up and said, —

" Don't let us waste more time taUdng about it,
boys. Hold it up, Peterkin. There, lay the hind leg
on this block of wood, — so;" and he cut it off, with
a large portion of the haunch, at a single blow of
the axe. " Now the other, — that's it." And having
thus cut off the two hind legs, he made several deep
gashes in them, thrust a sharp-pointed stick through
each, and stuck them up before the blaze to roasi
The wood-pigeon was then split open, quite flat,
washed dean in salt water, and treated in a similar
manner. While these were cooking, we scraped a
hole in the sand and ashes under the Are, into which
we put our vegetables, and covered them up.

The taro-root wa£i of an oval shape, about ten
inches long and four or five thick. It was of a
mottled-gray colour, and had a thick rind. We
found it somewhat like an Irish potato, and exceed-
ingly good. The yam was roundish, and had a rough

THE COBAL ISLAND. 121

brown skin. It was very sweet and well-flavoured.
The potato, we were surprised to find, was quite sweet
and exceedingly palatable, as also trere the plums ;
and, indeed, the pork and pigeon too, when we came
to taste them. Altogether this was decidedly the
most luxurious supper we had enjoyed for many a
day ; and Jack said it was out-of-sight better than
we ever got on board ship ; and Peterkin said he
feared that if we should remain long on the island
he would infallibly become a glutton or an epicure :
whereat Jack remarked that he need not fear that,
for he was both already ! And so, having eaten our
fill, not forgetting to finish off with a plum, we laid
ourselves comfortably down to sleep upon a couch
of branches^ under the overhanging ledge of a coral
rock.

122 THE OORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XL

Effects of oyer-eating, tod nflections thereon— Hnmble advice regarding cold water
—The ** horrible cry** acoonnted Ibr— The coiioiu birds called penguins— Peca-
Uarity <rf the ooeoannt palm— Qaesttons on the formation of coral islanda— M/s-
terioos footstepa— Strange discoveries and sad sights.

When we awoke on the following morning, we foand
that the sun was ahready a good way above the hori-
zon, so I came to the oondusion that a heavy supper
is not conducive to early rising. Nevertheless, we
felt remarkably strong and well, and much disposed
to have our breakfast. First, however, we had our
customaiy morning bathe, which refreshed us greatly.
I have often wondered very much in after years
that the inhabitants of my own dear land did not
make more frequent use of this most charming ele-
ment, water. I mean in the way of cold bathmg.
Of course, I have perceived that it is not convenient
for them to go into the sea or the rivers in winter,
as we used to do on the Coral Island ; but then, I
knew from experience that a large washing-tub and
a sponge do form a most pleasant substitute. The
feelings of freshness, of cleanliness, of vigour, and
extreme hilarity, that always followed my bathes in
the sea^ and even, when in England, my ablutions
in the wash-tub, were so delightfal, that I would

THB COBAL ISLAND. 123

sooner have gone without my breakfast than with-
out my bathe in cold water. My readers wiQ forgive
me for asking whether they are in the habit of bath-
ing thus every morning ; and if they answer " No/'
they will pardon me for recommending them to begin
at once. Of late years, since retiring from the stir-
ring life of adventure which I have led so long in
foreign climes, I have heard of a system called the
cold-water-cure. Now, I do not know much about
that system, so I do not mean to uphold it, neither
do I intend to run it down. Perhaps, in reference
to it, I may just hint that there may be too much
of a good thing. I know not; but of this I am
quite certain, that there may also be too little of a
good thing; and the great delight I have had in cold
bathing during the course of my adventurous career
inclines me to think that it is better to risk taking too
much than to content one's self with too little. Such
is my opinion, derived from much experience ; but I
put it before my readers with the utmost diffidence
and with profound modesty, knowing that it may
possibly jar with their feelings of confidence in their
own abiUty to liow and judge as to what k best
and fittest in reference to their own affairs. But,
to return from this digression, for which I humbly
crave forgiveness :

We had not advanced on our journey much above

124 THE CORAL ISLAND.

a mile or so, and were just beginning to feel the
pleasant glow that usually accompanies vigorous
ezerdse, when, on turning a point that revealed to
us a new and beautifal cluster of islands, we were
suddenly arrested by the appalling cry which had so
alarmed us a few nights before. But this time we
were by no means so much alarmed as on the pre-
vious occasion, because, whereas at that time it was
night, now it was day; and I have always found,
though I am unable to account for it, that daylight
banishes many of the fears that are apt to assail us
in the dark.

On hearing the sound, Feterkin instantly threw
forward his spear.

" Now, what can it be?'' said he, looking round
at Jack. " I teU. you what it is, if we are to go on
being pulled up in a constant state of horror and
astonishment, as we have been for the last week, the
sooner we're out o' this island the better, notwith-
standing the yams and lemonade, and pork and
plums!"

Peterkin's remark was followed by a repetition of
the cry, louder than before.

'' It comes from one of these islands,'' said Jack.

" It must be the ghost of a jackass, then," said
Peterkin, " for I never heaard anything so like."

We all turned our eyes towards the cluster of

THE CORAL ISLAND. 125

islands, where, on the largest, we observed curious
objects moving on the shore.

" Soldiers they are, — ^that's flat I" cried Feterkin,
gazing at them in the utmost amazement.

" And, in truth, Feterkin's remark seemed to me
to be correct; for, at the distance fix)m which we saw
them, they appeared to be an army of soldiers.
There they stood, rank and file, in lines and in
squares, marching and countermarching, with blue
coats and white trousers. While we were looking
at them, the dreadful cry came again over the water,
and Feterkin suggested that it must be a regiment
sent out to massacre the natives in cold blood. At
this remark Jack laughed and said, —

" Why, Feterkin, they are penguins !"

" Fenguinsf' repeated Feterkin.

"Ay, penguins, Peterkin, penguins, - nothing
more or less than big sea-birds, as you shall see one
of these days, when we pay them a visit in our boat,
which I mean to set about building the moment we
return to our bower."

'' So, then, our dreadful yelliiig ghosts and our
murdering army of soldiers," remarked Feterkin,
''have dwindled down to penguins, — ^big sea-birds!
Very good. Then I propose that we continue our jour-
ney as fast as possible, lest our island should be con-
verted into a dream before we get completely round it."

126 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Now, as we continued on our way, I pondered
much over this new discovery, and the singular ap«
pearance of these birds, of which Jack could only
give us a very slight and vague account ; and I began
to long to commence to our boat, in order that we
might go and inspect them more narrowly. But by
degrees these thoughts left me, and I began to be
much taken up again with the interesting peculiari-
ties of the country which we were passing througL

The second night we passed in a manner some-
what similar to the first, at about two-thirds of the
way round the island, as we calculated, and we hoped
to sleep on the night following at our bower. I will
not here note so particularly all that we said and saw
during the course of this second day, as we did not
make any further diaooveries of great importance.
The shore along which we travelled, and the various
parts of the woods through which we passed, were
similar to those which have been already treated of.
There were one or two observations that we made,
however, and these were as follows : —

We saw that, while many of the large firuit-bearing
trees grew only in the valleys, and some of them
only near the banks of the streams, where the soil
was peculiarly rich, the cocoa-nut palm grew in every
place whatsoever, — ^not only on the hill sides, but also
on the sea shore, and even, as has been already stated,

THE OORAL ISLAND. 127

on tlie coral reef itself, where the soil, if we may use
the name, was nothing better than loose sand mingled
with broken shells and coral rock. So near to the
sea, too, did this useful tree grow, that in many places
its roots were washed by the spray from the breakers.
Yet we found the trees growing thus on the sands to
be quite as luxuriant as those growing in the valleys^
and the fiuit as good and refreshing also. Besides
this, I noticed that, on the sunmiit of the high moun-
tain, which we once more ascended at a different point
firom our first ascent, were found abundance of shells
and broken coral formations, which Jack and I agreed
proved either that this island must have once been
under the sea, or that the sea must once have been
above the island. In other words, that as shells and
coral could not possibly dimb to the mountain top,
they must have been washed upon it while the
mountain top was on a level with the sea. We
pondered this very much ; and we put to ourselves
the question, '' What raised the island to its present
height above the sea?"' But to this we could by no
means give to ourselves a satis&ctory reply. Jack
thought it might have been blown up by a volcano;
and Feterkin said he thought it must have jumped
up of its own accord I We also noticed, what had
escaped us before, that the solid rooks of which the
island was formed were quite different from the live

128 IBB OORAL ISLAND

coral rocks on the shore, where the wonderful little
insects were continually working. They seemed, in-
deed, to be of the same material, — a substance like
limestone; but, while the coral rocks were quite fuU
of minute cells in which the insects lived, the other
rocks inland were hard and solid, without the appear-
ance of cells at alL Our thoughts and conversations
on this subject were sometimes so profound that
Feterkin said we should certainly get drowned in
them at last, even although we were such good
divers! Nevertheless we did not allow his plea-
santry on this and fiiTni1a.r points to deter us from
making our notes and observations as we went along.
We found several more droves of hogs in the
woods, but abstained from killing any of them, hav-
ing more than sufficient for our present necessities.
We saw also many of their foot-prints in this neigh-
bourhood. Among these we also observed the foot-
prints of a smaller animal, which we examined with
much care, but could form no certain opinion as to
them. Peterkin thought they were those of a little
dog, but Jack and T thought differently. We be-
came very curious on this matter, the more so that
we observed these foot-prints to lie scattered about
in one locality, as if the animal which had made them
was wandering round about in a very irregular man-
ner, and without any object in view. Early in the

THS COBAL ISLAND. 129

forenoon of our third day we observed these foot-
prints to be much more numerous than ever, and in
one particular spot they diverged off into the woods
in a regular beaten track, which was, however, so
dosely beset with bushes, that we pushed through it
with difficulty. We had now become so anxious to
find out what animal this was, and where it went to,
that we determined to follow the track, and, if pos-
sible, dear up the mystery. Peterkin said, in a ban-
tering tone, that he was sure it would be cleared up
as usual in some frightfully simple way, and prove to
be no mystery at all!

The beaten track seemed much too large to have
been formed by the animal itself, and we conduded
that some larger animal had made it, and that the
smaller one made use of it. But everywhere the
creeping plants and tangled bushes crossed our path,
so that we forced our way along with some difficulty.
Suddenly, as we came upon an open space, we heard
a £Btint cry, and observed a black animal standing in
the track before u&

''A wild-cat I" cried Jack, fitting an arrow to his
bow, and discharging it so hastily that he missed the
animal, and hit the earth about half a foot to one
side of it To our surprise the wild-cat did not fly,
but walked slowlv towards the arrow, and snuffed
at it

9

IdU THE CORAL ISLAND.

"Tliat^s the most comical wild-cafc I ever saw!"
cried Jack.

" It's a tame wild-cat, I think," said Peterkin,
levelliiig his spear to make a diarge.

" Stop !'* cried I, laying my hand on his shoulder;
'* I do believe the poor beast is blind. See, it strike;^
against the branches as it walks along. It must be
a very old one;"' and I hastened towards it.

'' Only think,'' said Peterkin, with a suppressed
laugh, " of a superannuated wild-cat!"

We now found that the poor cat was not only
blind, or nearly so, but extremely dea^ as it did not
hear our footsteps until we were quite dose behind
it. Then it sprang round, and, putting up its back
and tail, while the black hair stood all on end, ut-
tered a hoarse mew and a faff.

" Poor thing," said Peterkin, gently extending his
hand, and endeavouring to pat the cat's head. " Poor
pussy ; chee, chee, chee ; puss, puss, puss ; cheetie pussy !"

No sooner did the cat hear these sounds than all
signs of anger fled, and, advancing eagerly to Peter-
kin, it allowed itself to be stroked, and rubbed itself
against his legs, purring loudly all the time, and
showing every symptom of the most extreme delight.

" It's no more a wild cat than I am!" cried Peter-
kin, taking it in his arms. ■' It's quite tame. Poor
pussy, cheetie pussy!"

THE CORAL ISLAKD. 131

We now crowded arouud Peterkin, and were not
a little surprised, and, to say truth, a good deal affect-
ed, by the sight of the poor animal's excessive joy.
It rubbed its head against Peterkin's cheek, licked
liis chin, and thrust its head ahnost violently into his
neck, while it purred more loudly, than 1 ever heard
a cat purr before, and appeared to be so much over-
powered by its feelings, that it occasionally mewed
and purred almost in the same breatL Such de-
monstrations of joy and affection led us at once to
conclude that this poor cat must have known man
before, and we conjectured that it had been left either
accidentally or by design on the island many years
ago, and was now evincing its extreme joy at meet-
ing once more with human beings. While we were
fondling the cat and talking about it. Jack glanced
round the open space in the midst of which we stood.

"Hallo I" exclaimed he; "this looks something
like a clearing. The axe has been at work here.
Just look at these tree-stumps."

We now turned to examine these, and, without
doubt, we found trees that had been cut down here
and there, also stumps and broken branches; all of
which, however, were completely covered over with
moss, and bore evidence of having been in this con-
dition for some years. No human foot-prints wer«
to be seen, either on the track or among the bushes;

182 THE CORAL ISLAKD.

but those of the cat were found everywhera We
now determined to follow up the track as far as it
went, and Feterkin put the cat down; but it seemed
to be so weak, and mewed so very pitifully, that he
took it up again and carried it in his arms, where, in
a few minutes, it fell sound asleep.

About ten yards fieixther on, the felled trees be-
came more numerous, and the track, diverging to the
right, foUowed for a short space the banks of a
stream. Suddenly we came to a spot where once
must have been a rude bridge, the stones of which
were scattered in the stream, and those on each bank
entirely covered over with moss. In silent surprise
land expectancy we continued to advance, and, a few
jrards fieurther on, beheld, under the shelter of some
bread-fruit trees, a small hut or cottage. I cannot
hope to convey to my readers a very correct idea of
the feelings that affected us on witnessing this un-
expected sight. We stood for a long time in silent
wonder, for there was a deep and most melancholy
stillness about the place that quite overpowered us;
and when we did at length speak, it was in subdued
whispers^ as if we were surrounded by some awful
or supernatural influence. Even Feterkin's voice,
usually so quick and lively on all occasions, was
hushed now; for there was a dreariness about this
silent, lonely, uninhabited cottage, — so strange in its

THE CORAL ISLAND. 133

appearance, so far away &om the usual dwellings oi
man, so old, decayed, and deserted in. its aspect, — that
fell upon our spirits like a thick doud, and blotted out
as with a pall the cheerful sunshine that had filled us
since the commencement of our tour round the island.
The hut or cottage was rude and simple in its
construction. It was not more than twelve feet long
by ten feet broad, and about seven or eight feet high.
It had one window, or rather a small frame in which
a window might, perhaps, once have been, but which
was now empty. The door wa» exceedingly low,
and formed of rough boards, and the roof was covered
with broad cocoa-nut and plantain leavea But every
part of it was in a state of the utmost decay. Moss
and green matter grew in spots aU over ii The wood-
work was quite perforated with holes; the roof had
nearly fallen in, and appeared to be prevented from
doing so altogether by the thick matting of creeping-
plants and the interlaced branches which years of
neglect had allowed to cover it almost entirely; while
the thick, luxuriant branches of the bread-fruit
and other trees spread above it, and flung a deep,
sombre shadow over the spot, as if to guard it from
the heat and the light of day. We conversed long
and in whispers about this strange habitation ere we
ventured to approach it; and when at length we did
so it wasi, at least on my part, with feelings of awa

134 THG COBAL I8LAND.

At first Jack endeavoured to peep in at the win-
dow, but from the deep shadow of the trees already
mentioned, and the gloom within, he could not clearly
discern objects; so we lifted the latch and pushed
open the door. We observed that the latch was
made of iron, and almost eaten away with rust. In
the like condition were also the hinges, which creaked
as the door swun£^ back. On entering^, we stood still
and gazed ar3ua. wMe we were Lh impressed
with the dreary stillness of the room. But what we
saw there surprised and shocked us not a little.
There was no furniture in the apartment save a little
wooden stool and an iron pot, the latter almost eaten
through with rust. In the comer fieurthest from the
door was a low bedstead, on which lay two skeletons,
imbedded in a little heap of dry dust. With beating
hearts we went forward to examine them. One was
the skeleton of a man, the other that of a dog, which
was extended dose beside that of the man, with its
head resting on his bosom.

Now we were very much concerned about this dis-
covery, and could scarce refrain from tears on behold-
ing these sad remaina After some time, we began
to talk about what we had seen, and to examine in
and around the hut, in order to discover some due to
the name or history of this poor man, who had thus
died in solitude, with none to mourn his loss save his

THE GOBAL ISLAND. 185

cat and his faithful dog. But we found nothing, —
neither a book nor a scrap of paper. We found, how-
ever, the decayed remnants of what appeared to have
been clothing, and an old axe. But none of these
things bore marks of any kind ; and, indeed, they
were so much decayed as to convince us that they had
lain in the condition in which we found them for
many years.

This discovery now accounted to us for the tree
stump at the top of the mountain with the initials
cut on it; also for the patch of sugar-cane and other
traces of man which we had met with in the course
of our rambles over the island. And we were much
saddened by the reflection that the lot of this poor
wanderer might possibly be our own, after many
years' residence on the island, unless we should be
rescued by the visit of some vessel or the arrival of
natives. Having no clue whatever to accoimt for
the presence of this poor human being in such a
lonely spot, we fell to conjecturing what could have
brought him there. I was inclined to think that he
must have been a shipwrecked sailor, whose vessel
had been lost here, and all the crew been drowned
except himself and his dog and cat. But Jack
thought it more likely that he had run away from
his vessel, and had taken the dog and cat to keep
him company. We were also much occupied in our

136 THE CORAL ULAND.

minds with the wonderful difference between the cat
and the dog. For here we saw that while the one
perished, like a : loving friend, by its master's side,
with its head resting on his bosom, the other had
sought to sustain itself by prowling abroad in the
forest, and had lived in solitude to a good old age.
However, we did not conclude &om this that the cat
was destitute of affection, for we could not foi^t its
emotions on first meeting with us; but we saw from
this, that the dog had a great deal more of generous
love in its nature than the cat, because it not only
found it impossible to live after the death of its
master, but it must needs, when it came to die,
crawl to his side and rest its head upon his lifeless
breast.

While we were thinking on these things, and
examining into everything a1)out the room, we were
attracted by an exclamation from Peterkin.

" I say. Jack/' said he, " here is something that
will be of use to us."

'*What is it?'' said Jack, hastening across the
room.

" An old pistol," replied Peterkin, holding up the
weapon, which he had just pulled from under a
heap of broken wood and rubbish that lay in a
comer.

'^ That, indeed, might have been useful," said Jack,

THE CORAL ISLAND. 137

examining it, " if we bad any powder ; but I sus-
pect tbe bow and tbe sling will prove more service-
able."

" True, I forgot that," said Peterkin ; " but we may
as well take it with us, for the flint will serve to
strike fire with when the sun does not shine."

After having spent more than an hour at this place
without discovering anything of further interest,
Peterkin took up the old cat, which had lain very
contentedly asleep on the stool whereon he had placed
it, and we prepared to take our departure. In leav-
ing the hut, Jack stumbled heavily against the door-
post, which was so much decayed as to break across,
and the whole fabric of the hut seemed ready to
tumble about our ears. This put into our heads that
we might as well pull it down, and so form a moimd
over the skeleton. Jack, therefore, with his axe, cut
down the other door-post, which, when it was done,
brought the whole hut in ruins to the ground, and
thus formed a grave to the bones of the poor recluse
and his dog. Then we left the spot, having brought
away the iron pot, the pistol, and the old axe, as
they might be of much use to us hereafter.

During the rest of this day we pursued our jour-
ney, and examined the other end of the large valley,
which we found to be so much alike to the parts
already described, that I shall not recount the parti-

138 Tn^ COKAL ISLAND.

culars of what we saw in this pla^e. I may, how-
ever, remark, that we did not quite recover oui* for-
mer cheerful spirits until we arrived at our bower,
wliich we did late in the evening, and found every-
thing just in the same condition as we had left it
three days before.

THE COAAL ISLAND^ 139

CHAPTER XII.

Soibtflblng wrong with the tank- Jack's wisdom and Peterkin's impertinence—
Wonderful behayionr of a crab— Good wishes for those who dwell for tram the bea
—Jack commences to bnild a little boat

Rest is sweet as well for the body as for the mind.
During my long experience, amid the vicissitudes of
a chequered life, I have found that periods of pro-
found rest at certain intervals, in addition to the ordi-
nary hours of repose, are necessary to the wellbeing
of man. And the nature as well as the period of
this rest varies, according to the different tempera-
ments of individuals, and the peculiar circumstances
in which they may chance to be placed. To those
who work with their Tninr^a^ bodily labour is resi
To those who labour with the body, deep sleep is
I'est To the downcast, the weary, and the sorrow-
ful, joy and peace are rest N'ay, further, I think
that to the gay, the frivolous, the recklessf, when
sated with pleasures that cannot last^ even sorrow
proves to be rest of a kind, although, perchance, it
were better that I should call it relief than rest
There is, indeed, but one class of men to whom rest
is denied. There is no rest to the wicked. At this
I do but hint^ however, as I treat not of that rest

1 40 THE CORAL ISLAND.

which is spiritual, but. more particularly, of that
which applies to the mind and to the body.

Of this rest we stood much in need on our return
home, and we found it exceedingly sweet, when we
indulged in it^ after completing the journey just
related. It had not, indeed, been a very long jour-
ney, nevertheless we had pursued it so diligently
that our firames were not a little prostrated. Our
minds were also very much exhausted in consequence
of ft. r^ »,pL. ft.,.»t ,^ ^'».ch
profound thought, to which they had been subjected;
so that when we lay down on the night of our return
under the shelter of the bower, we fell immediately
into very deep repose. I can state this with much
certainty, for Jack afterwards admitted the fact, and
Feterkin, although he stoutly denied it, I heard
snoring loudly at least two minutes after lying down.
In this condition we remained all night and the whole
of the following day without awaking once, or so mudi
as moving our positions. When we did awake it was
near sunset, and we were all in such a state of lassi*
tude that we merely rose to swallow a mouthful of
food. As Feterkin remarked, in the midst of a yawn,
we took breakfast at tea-time, and then went to bed
again, where we lay till the following forenoon.

After this we arose very greatly re&eshed, but
much alarmed lest we had lost coimt of a day. I

THE CORAL ISLAND 141

Bay we were much alarmed on this head, for we had
carefully kept count of the days since we were cast,
upon our island, in order that we might remember the
Sabbath-day, which day we had hitherto with one ac-
cord kept as a day of rest, and re&ained &om all work
whatsoever. However, on considering the subject, wo
all three entertained the same opinion as to how long
we had slept, and so our minds were put at ease.

"We now hastened to our Water Garden to enjoy a
bathe, and to see how did the animals which I ha<?
placed in the tank. We found the garden more
charming, pelucid, and inviting than ever, and Jack
and I plimged into its depth, and gambolled among
its radiant coral groves; while Feterkin wallowed at
the surface, and tried occasionally to kick us as we
passed b^low. Having dressed, I then hastened to
the tank; but what was my surprise and grief to find
nearly all the animals dead, and the water in a putrid
condition ! I was greatly distressed at this, and
wondered what could be the cause of it.

" Why, you precious humbug," said Peterkin,
coming up to me, " how could you expect it to be
otherwise ? When fishes are accustomed to live in
the Pacific Ocean, how can you expect them to exist
in a hole like that ?"

" Indeed, Peterkin," I replied, " there seems to be
truth in what you say. Nevertheless, now I think

142 TUB COIUL ISLAKO.

of it, there most be some error in your reasoning;
for, ]f I put in but a few very small animals, they
will bear the same proportion to this pond that the
millions of fish bear to the ocean/'

"I say, Jack,'' cried Peterkin, waving his hand,
'' come here, like a good fellow. Ralph is actually
talking philosophy. Do come to our assistance, for
he's out 0* sight beyond me already ! "

" What's the matter V inquired Jack, coming up,
while he endeavoui-ed to scrub his long hair dry with
a towel of cocoa-nut doth.

I repeated my thoughts to Jack, who, I was
happy to find, quite agreed with me. *' Your best
plan," he said, " will be to put very few animals at
first into your tank, and add more as you find it
will bear them. And look here," he added, pointiog
t6 the sides of the tank, which, for the space of two
inches above the water-level, were incrusted with
salt, " you must carry your philosophy a little farther,
Ralph. That water has evaporated so much that it
is too salt for anything to live in. You will require
to add fresh water now and then, in order to keep
it at the same degree of saltness as the sea."

" Very true. Jack, that never struck me before,"
said I.

"And, now I think of it/' continued Jack, '*it
seems to me that the surest way of arranging your

THB CORAL ISLAND. 143

taiik SO as to get it to keep pure and in good condi-
tion, will be to i/m/Uate the ocean in it. In fact
make it a miniature Facifia I don't see how you
can hope to succeed unless you do that."

" Most true/' said I, pondering what my companion
said. " But I fear that that will be very difficult/'

" Not at all/* cried Jack, rolling his towel up into
a baU, and throwing it into the face of Feterkin, who
had been grinning and winking at him during the
last five minutea " Not at alL Look hera There
is water of a certain saltness in the sea ; well, fill
your tank with sea water, and keep it at that saltness
by marking the height at which the water stands on
the sidea When it evaporates a little, pour in fresh
water from the brook till it comes up to the mark,
and then it will be right) for the salt does not eva-
porate with the water. Then, there's lots of sea-
weed in the sea ; — ^well, go and get one or two bits of
sea-weed, and put them into your tank. Of course the
weed must be alive, and growing to little stones; or
you can chip a bit off the rocks with the weed sticking
to it. Then, if you like, you can throw a little sand
and gravel into your tank, and the thing's complete."

" Nay, not quite,'* said Feterkin, who had been
gravely attentive to this off-hand advice, " not quite ;
you must first make three little men to dive in it
before it can be said to be perfect, and that would be

144 THE CORAL ISLAND.

rather difficult, I fear, for two of them would require
to be philosophers. But hallo ! what's this ? I say,
Balph, look here. There's one o* your crabs up to
something uncommon. It's performing the most re-
markable operation for a crab I ever saw, — ^taking
off its coat, I do believe, before going to bed !'*

We hastily stooped over the tank, and certainly
were not a little amused at the conduct of one of the
crabs which still survived it companions. It was
one of the common smaU crabs, like to those that
are found running about everywhere on the coasts of
England. While we gazed at it, we observed its
back to split away from the lower part of its body,
and out of the gap thus formed came a soft lump
which moved and writhed unceasingly. This lump
continued to increase in size imtil it appeared like a
bunch of crab's legs : and, indeed, such it proved in
a very few minutes to be ; for the points of the toes
were at length extricated frt)m this hole in its back,
the legs spread out, the body followed, and the crab
walked away quite entire, even to the points of its
nipper-daws, leaving a perfectly entire shell behind
it, so that, when we looked, it seemed as though
there were two complete crabs instead of one !

"Well!" exclaimed Peterkin, drawing a long
breath, " I've heard of a man jumping out of his
skin and sitting down in his skeleton in order

THE CORAL ISLAND. 145

to cool himself, but I never expected to see a crab
doit!"

We were, in truth, much amazed at this spectacle,
and the more so when we observed that the new crab
was larger than the crab that it came out of. It was
also quite soft, but by next morning its skin had
hardened into a good shell We came thus to know
that crabs grow in this way, and not by the growing
of their shells, as we had always thought before we
saw this wonderful operation.

Now I considered well the advice which Jack had
given me about preparing my tank, and the more I
thought of it, the more I came to regard it as very
sound and worthy of being acted on. So I forthwith
put his plan in execution, and found it to answer ex-
cellently well, indeed much beyond my expecta-
tion ; for I found that after a little experience had
taught me the proper proportion of sea-weed and
animals to put into a certain amount of water, the
tank needed no farther attendance ; and, moreover,
I did not require ever afterwards to renew or change
the sea-water, but only to add a very little fresh
water &om the brook, now and then, as the other
evaporated. I therefore concluded that if I had been
suddenly conveyed, along with my tank, into some
region where there was no salt sea at all, my little

sea and my sea-fish would have continued to thrive

10

146 THE CORAL ISLAND.

and to prosper notwithstanding. This made me
greatly to desire that those people in the world who
live far inland might know of my wonderful tank,
and, by having materials like to tiiose of which it
was made conveyed to them, thus be enabled to
watch the habits of those most mysterious animals
that reside in the sea^ and examine with their own
eyes the wonders of the great deep.

For many days after this, while Feterkin and Jack
were busily employed in building a little boat out of
the curious natural planks of the chestnut tree, I
spent much of my time in examining with the burn-
ing-glass the marvellous operations that were con-
stantly going on in my tank. Here I saw those ane-
mones which ding, like little red, yellow, and green
blobs of jelly, to the rocks, put forth, as it were,
a multitude of arms and wait till little fish or othei
small animalcules unwarily touched them, when they
would instantly seize them, fold arm after arm around
their victims, and so engulf them in their stomacha
Here I saw the ceaseless working of those little coral
insects whose efforts have encrusted the islands of the
Pacific with vast rocks, and surrounded them with
enormous reefa And I observed that many of these
Insects, though extremely minute, were very beautiful,
coming out of their holes in a circle of fine threads,
and having the form of a shuttle-cock. Here I saw

THE CORAL ISLAND. 147

curious little bamades opening a hole in their backs
and constantly putting out a thin feathery hand, with
which, I doubt not, they dragged their food into their
mouths. Here, also, I saw those orabs which have
shells only on the front of their bodies, but no shell
whatever on their remarkably tender tails, so that, in
ordei to find a protection to them, they thrust them
into the empty shdls of wilks, or some such fish,
and when they grow too big for one, change into an-
other. But, most curious of all, I saw an animal
which had the wonderful power, when it became ill,
of casting its stomach and its teeth away from it, and
getting an entirely new set in the course of a few
months 1 All this I saw, and a great deal more, by
means of my tank and my burning-glass, but I re-
frain from setting down more particulars here, as I
have still much to tell of the adventures that befell
us while we remained on this island.

148 THE CORAI. ISLAND.

CHAFfER Xm.

Notable diacoTery at the spoating dUh— Hie mytteriotu green moniter exi>laliied
«-We are thrown Into nnntterable terror by the idea that Jack ia drowned— The
Diamond Cava

"Come, Jack,'' cried Feterkin, one morning about
three weeks after our return from our long excursion,
" let's be jolly to-day, and do something vigorous.
I'm quite tired of hammering and hammering, hew-
ing and screwing, cutting and butting, at that Utile
boat of ours, that seems as hard to build as Noah's
axk ; let us go on an excursion to the mountain top,
or have a hunt after the wild ducks, or make a dash
at the pigs. I'm quite flat — flat as bad ginger-beer
— flat as a pancake ; in fSEict, I want something to
rouse me, to toss me up, as it were. Eh 1 what do
you say to it ? "

" WeU," answered Jack, throwing down the axe
with which he was just about to proceed towards
the boat, " if that's what you want, I would recom-
mend you to make an excursion to the water-spouts ;
the last one we had to do with tossed you up a con-
siderable height, perhaps the next will send you
higher, who knows, if you're at all reasonable or
moderate in your expectations ! "

" Jack, my dear boy," said Peterkin, gravely, " you

THE COSAL ISLAND. 14^

are really becoming too fond of jesting. It's a thing
I doQ't at aJl approve of. and if you don't give it up,
I fear that, for our mutual good, we shall have to
part."

" Well, then, Peterkin," replied Jack, with a smile.
" what would you have ? "

" Have ? '* said Peterkin, " I would Imve nothing.
I didn't say I wanted to hxive; I said that I wanted to

dor

" By the by," said I, interrupting their conversa-
tion, " I am reminded by this that we have not yet
discovered the nature of yon curious appearance that
we saw near the water-spouts, on our journey round
the island. Perhaps it would be well to go for that
purpose."

"Humph I" ejaculated Peterkin, "I know the na-
ture of it well enough."

" What was it ?" said I.

" It was of a mysterious nature to be sure !" said
he, with a wave of his hand, while he rose firom the
log on which he had been sitting, and buckled on his
belt, into which he thrust his enormous dub.

"Well, then, let us away to the water-spouts,"
cried Jack, going up to the bower for his bow and
arrows ; " and bring your spear, Peterkin. It may be
useful."

We now, having made up our minds to examine

150 THE CORAL ISLAND.

into this matter, sallied forth eagerly in the direction
of the water-spout rocks, which, as I have before
mentioned, were not far from our present place of
abode. On arriving there we hastened down to the
edge of the rocks, and gazed over into the sea,
where we observed the pale-green object still dis-
tinctly visible, moving its tail slowly to and fro in
the water.

" Most remarkable !" said Jack.

" ExceediQgly curious,*' said I.

" Beats everything!" said Peterkin.

" Now, Jack," he added, " you made such a poor
figure in your last attempt to stick that object, that
I would advise you to let me try it. If it has got a
heart at all, I'll engage to send my spear right through
the core of it ; if it hasn't got a heart, I'll send it
through the spot where its heart ought to be."

" Fire away, then, my boy," replied Jack with a
laugh.

Peterkin immediately took the spear, poised it
for a second or two above his head, then darted it
like an arrow into the sea. Down it went straight
into the centre of the green object, passed quite
through it, and came up immediately afterwards, pure
and unsullied, while the mysterious tail moved quietly
as before!

" Now," said Peterkin, gravely, " that brute is a

THE CORAL ISLAKD. 151

heartless monster ; I'll have nothing more to do with
it/'

"I'm pretty sure now," said Jack, "that it is
merely a phosphoric light ; but I must say I'm puzzled
at its staying always in that exact spot.*"

I also was much puzzled, and inclined to think with
Jack that it must be phosphoric light; of which
luminous appearance we had seen much while on our
voyage to these seas. " But," said I, " there is no-
thing to hinder us from diving down to it, now that
we are sure it is not a shark."

" True,"retumed Jack, stripping off his clothes ; "I'll
go down, Ralph, as I'm better at diving than you are.
Now then, Feterkin, out o' the road I" Jack step-
ped forward, joined his hands above his head, bent
over the rocks, and plimged into the sea. For a
second or two the spray caused by his dive hid him
from view, then the water became still, and we saw
him swimming far down in the midst of the green
object. Suddenly he sank below it, and vanished
altogether from our sight ! We gazed anxiously down
at the spot where he had disappeared, for nearly a
minute, expecting every moment to see him rise again
for breath; but frilly a minute passed, and still he
did not re-appear. Two minutes passed! and then
a flood of alarm rushed in upon my soul, when I
considered that, during all my acquaintance with him,

152 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Jack had never stayed underwater more than a minute
at a time ; indeed seldom so long.

"Oh, Feterkin !" I said, in a voice that trembled
with increaamg anxiety, "aomething haa happened
It is more than three minutes now V But Feterkin
did not answer, and I observed that he was gazingdown
into the water .with a look of intense fear mingled
with anxiety, while his &ce was overspread with a
deadly palenesa Suddenly he sprang to his feet
and ruBhed about in a frantic state, wringing his
hands, and exclaiming, " Oh, Jack, Jack ! he is
ffone ! It must have been a shark, and he is erone
forever!"

For the next five minutes I know not what I did.
The intensity of my feelings almost bereft me of my
senses. But I was recalled to myself by Feterkin
»i^ M, l^ «., ^o^r »d IL« ^, into
my isuce, while he exclaimed, " Balph 1 Balph !
perhaps he has only fainted Dive for him, Balph!''

It seemed strange that this did not occur to me
sooner. In a moment I rushed to the edge of the
rocks, and, without waiting to throw off my garments,
was on the point to spring into the waves, when I
observed something black rising np through the
green object. In another moment Jack's head rose
to the surface, and he gave a wild shout, fling-
ing hvuck the spray from lus locks, as was his wont

THE CORAL ISLAND. 153

after a dive. Now we were almost as much amazed
at seeing him re-appear,, well and strong, as we
had been at first at his non-appearance ; for, to the
best of oiu* judgment, he had been nearly ten minutes
under water, perhaps longer, and it required no exer-
tion of our reason to convince us that this was utterly
impossible for mortal man to do and retain his
strength and £Eumltiea It was therefore with a feel-
ing akin to superstitious awe that I held down my
hand and assisted him to clamber up the steep rocks.
But no such feeling affected Fefcerkin. No sooner
did Jack gain the rocks and seat himself on one,
panting for breath, than he threw his arms round
his neck, and burst into a flood of tears. "Oh,
Jack, Jack!'' said he, "where were you? What
kept you so long?"

After a few moments Feterkin became composed
enough to sit still and listen to Jack's explanation,
although he could not restrain himself from attempt-
ing to wink every two minutes at me, in order to ex-
press his joy at Jack's safety. I say he attempted
to wink, but I am bound to add that he did not suc-
ceed, for his eyes were so much swollen with weeping,
that his frequent attempts only resulted in a series of
violent and altogether idiotical contortions of the £stce,
that were very far from expressing what he intended.
Sowever, I knew what the poor fellow meant by it

154 THE CORAL ISLAND.

80 I smiled to him in return, and endeavoured to
make believe that he was winking.

" Now, lads/' said Jack, when we were composed
enough to listen to him, " yon green object is not a
shark ; it is a stream of light issuing from a cave in
the rock& Just after I made my dive, I observed
that this light came from the side of the rock above
which we are now sitting; so I struck out for it, and
saw an opening into some place or other that appeared
to be luminous within. For one instant I paused to
think whether I ought to venture. Then I made up
my mind, and dashed into it For you see, Peterkin,
although I take some time to tell this, it happened
in the space of a few seconds, so that I knew I had
wind enough in me to serve to bring me out o' the
hole and up to the surface again. Well, I was just
on the point of turning, — ^for I began to feel a little
uncomfortable in such a place, — ^when it seemed to
me as if there was a Mnt light right above me. I
darted upwards, and found my head out of water.
This relieved me greatly, for I now felt that I could
take in air enough to enable me to return the way I
came. Then it all at once occurred to me that I
might not be able to find the way out again ; but,
or glandng downwards, my mind waa put quite at
rest by seeing the green light below me streaming
into the cave, just like the light that we had seen

THE CORAL ISLAND. 155

Btreaming out of it, only what I now saw was much
brighter.

" At first I could scarcely see anything as I gazed
around me, it was so dark ; but gradually my eyes
became accustomed to it, and I found that I was in
a huge cave, part of the walls of which I observed
on each side of me. The ceiling just above me was
also visible, and I &ncied that I could perceive beau-
tiful glittering objects there, but the farther end of
the cave was shrouded in darkness. While I was
looking around me in great wonder, it came into my
head that you two would think I was drowned ; so I
plunged down through the passage again in a great
hurry, rose to the surface, and — ^here I am !"

When Jack concluded his recital of what he had
seen in this remarkable cave, I could not rest satis-
fied till I had dived down to see it ; which I did, but
found it so\dark, as Jack had said, that I could
scarcely see anything. When I returned, we had a
long conversation about it, during which I observed
that Feterkin had a most lugubrious expression on
his countenance.

" What's the matter, Peterkin?" said I.

" The matter V he replied. '^ It's all very well
for you two to be talking away like mermaids about
the wonders of this cave, but you know I must be
content to hear about it, while you are enjojdng

156 THB COaAL ISLAND.

yourselves down there like mad dolphina It's really
too bad."

" I'm very sorry for you, Peterkin, indeed I am,"
said Jack, " but we cannot help you. If you would
only learn to dive — "

" Learn to fly, you might as well say \" retorted
Peterkin, in a very sulky tone.

" If you would only consent to keep still," said 1,
" we would take you down with us in ten seconda'

"Hum!" returned Peterkin; "suppose a sala-
mander was to propose to you * only to keep still,'
and he would carry you through a blazing fire in a
few seconds, what would you say?"

We both laughed and shook our heads, for it wtw
evident that nothing was to be made of Peterkin in
the water. But we could not rest satisfied till we
had seen more of this cave ; so, afber farther consul-
tation. Jack and I determined to try if we could take
down a torch with us, and set fire to it in the cavern.
This we found to be an undertaking of no small diffi-
culty; but we accomplished it at last by the following
means : — ^First, we made a torch of a very inflammable
nature out of the bark of a certain tree, which we
cut into strips, and, p^fter twisting, cemented together
with a kind of resin or gum, which we also obtained
from another tree ; neither of which trees, however, was
known by name to Jack. This, when prepared, we

THE CORAL ISLAND. 157

wrapped up in a great number of plies of ooooa-nut
doth, so that we were confident it could not get wet
during the short time it should be under water.
Then we took a small piece of the tinder, which we
had carefully treasured up lest we should require it,
as before said, when the sun should &il us ; also, we
rolled up some dry grass and a few chips, which,
with a little bow and drill, like those described
before, we made into another bundle, and wrapped
it up in cocoa-nut doth. When all was ready we
laid aside our garments, with the exception of our
trousers, which, as we did« not know what rough
scraping against the rocks we might be subjected to,
we kept on.

Then we advanced to the edge of the rocks, Jack
carrying one bundle, with the torch ; I the other,
with the things for producing fire.

" Now don't weary for us, Peterkin, should we be
gone some time," said Jack ; " we'U be sure to return
in half-an-hour at the very latest, however interest-
ing the cave should be, that we may relieve your
mind."

" Farewell !" said Peterkin, coming up to us with

a look of deep but pretended solemnity, while he

shook hands and kissed each of us on the cheek

" Farewell ! and while you are gone I shall repose

, ray weary Umbs under the shelter of this bush, and

158 THE CORAL ISLAND.

meditate on the changefulness of all things earthly,
with special reference to the forsaken condition of a
poor ship- wrecked sailor boy V So saying, Peterkin
waved his hand, turned from us, and cast himself
upon the ground with a look of melancholy resigna-
tion, which was so well feigned, that I would have
thought it genuine had he not accompanied it with
a gentle wink. We both laughed, and, springing from
the rocks together, plunged head first into the sea.

We gained the mterior of the submarine cave with-
out difficulty, and, on emerging from the waves, sup-
ported ourselves for some time by treading-water,
while we held the two bundles above our heada This
we did in order to let our eyes become accustomed
to the obscurity. Then, when we could see suffi-
ciently, we swam to a shelving rock, and landed in
safety. Having wrung the water from our trousers,
and dried ourselves as well as we could under the
circumstances, we proceeded to ignite, the torch. This
we accomplished without difficulty in a few minutes;
and no sooner did it flare up than we were struck
dumb with the wonderful objects that were revealed
to our gaze. The roof of the cavern just above us
seemed to be about ten feet high, but grew higher as
it receded into the distance, until it was lost in dark-
nesa It seemed to be made of coral, and was sup-
ported by massive columns of the same materia].

THE CORAL ISLAND. 159

Immense icides (as they appeared to us) hung from
it in. various plaoe& These, however, were formed,
not of ice, but of a species of limestone, which seemed
to flow in a liquid form towards the point of each«
where it became solid. A good many drops fell,
however, to the rock below, and these formed little
cones, which rose to meet the points above. Some
of them had already met, and thus we saw how the
pillars were formed, which at firsfc seemed to us as if
they had been placed there by some human architect
ix> support the roo£ As we advanced farther in, we
saw that the floor was composed of the same mate-
rial as the pillars; and it presented the curious
appearance of ripples, such as are formed on water
when gently ruffled by the wind. There were several
openings on either hand in the walls, that seemed to
lead into other caverns ; but these we did not explore
at this time. We also observed that the ceiling was
curiously marked in many places, as if it were the
fret-work of a noble cathedral ; and the walls, as well
as the roof, sparkled in the light of our torch, and
threw back gleams and flashes, as if they were
covered with precious stones. Although we pro-
ceeded &x into this cavern, we did not come to the
end of ifc; and we were obliged to return more
speedily than we would otherwise have done, as our
torch was nearly expended. We did not observe any

160 THE COBAL ISLAND.

openings in the roof, or any indications of places
whereby light might enter ; but near the entrance to
the cavern stood an immense mass of pure white
coral rock, which caught and threw back the little
light that found an entrance through the cave's
mouth, and thus produced, we conjectured, the pale-
green object which had first attracted our attention.
We concluded, also, that the reflecting power of this
rock was that which gave forth the dim light that
faintly illumined the first part of the cave.

Before diving through the passage again we ex-
tinguished the small piece of our torch that remamed,
and left it in a dry spot ; conceiving that we might
possibly stand in need of it, if at any future time we
should chance to wet our torch while diving into the
cavern. As we stood for a few minutes after it was
out, waiting till our eyes became accustomed to the
gloom, we could not help remarking the deep, intense
stillness and the unutterable gloom of all around us;
and, as I thought of the stupendous dome above, and
the countless gems that had sparkled in the torch-
light a few minutes before, it came into my mind to
consider how strange it is that God should make such
wonderful and exquisitely-beautiful workB never to
be seen at all, except, indeed, by chance visitors such
as ourselves.

I afterwards found that there were many such

THE CORAL ISLAND. 161

caverns among the islands of the South Seas, some
of them larger and more beautiful than the one I
have just described

" Now, Balph, are you ready ?" said Jack, in a
low voice, that seemed to echo up into the dome
above.

" Quite ready."

" Come along, then,'' said he ; and, plunging ofif
the ledge of the rock into the water, we dived through
the narrow entrance. In a few seconds we were
panting on the rocks above, and receiving the con-
gratulations of our firiend FeterkiiL

162 TDK CORAL ISLAND.

CHAFfER XIV.

Strange pecollarity of the tides— Also of the twilight— Peterkin't reinai liable coo-
duet in embracing a little pig and kdlling a big aow— Sage remarlct on jesting—
Also on love.

It was quite a relief to us to breathe the pure air and
to enjoy the glad sunshine after our long ramble in
the Diamond Cave, as we named it; for, although
we did not stay more than half an hoiu* away, it
seemed to us much longer. While we were dressing,
and during our walk home, we did oiu* best to satisfy
the curiosity of poor Peterkin, who seemed to regret,
with Uvely sincerity, his inabiUty to dive.

There was no help for it, however, so we condoled
with him as we best could. Had there been any
great rise or fall in the tide of these seas, we might
perhaps have found it possible to take him down
with us at low water ; but as the tide never rose or
fell more than eighteen inches or two feet, this was
impossible.

This peculiarity of the tide — ^its slight rise and

fall — ^had not attracted our observation till some time

*

after our residence on the island. Neither had wa
observed another curious circumstance until we had
been some time there. This was the fact, that the
tide rose and fell with constant regularity, instead of

THE COBAL ISLAND. 168

being affected by the changes of the moon as in our
own countiy, and as it is in most other parts of
the world, — at least in all those parts with which I
am acquainted. Every day and every night, at
twelve o'clock precisely, the tide is at the flill ; and
at six o'clock every morning and evening it is ebb.
I can speak with much confidence on this singular
circumstance, as we took particular note of it, and
never found it to alter. Of course, I must admit,
we had to guess the hoiu* of twelve midnight, and I
think we could do this pretty correctly ; but in re-
gard to twelve noon we are quite positive, because
we easily found the highest point that the sun reached
in the sky by placing ourselves at a certain spot
whence we observed the sharp summit of a cliff rest-
ing against the sky, just whei^ the sun parsed

Jack and I were surprised that we had not noticed
this the first few days of our residence here, and could
only account for it by our being so much taken up
with the more obvious wonders of our novel situation.
I have since learned, however, that this want of ob-
servation is a sad and very common infirmity of
human nature, there being hundreds of persons before
whose eyes the most wonderful things are passing
every day, who nevertheless are totally ignorant of
them. I therefore have to record my sympathy with
such persons, and to recommend to them a course of

164 THE CORAL ISIJLND.

conduct which I have now for a long time myself
adopted, — ^namely, the habit of forcmg my attention
upon aU things that go on around me, and of taking
some degree of interest in them, whether I feel it
naturally or not I suggest this the more earnestly,
though humbly, because I have very frequently come
to know that my indifference to a thing has generally
been caused by my ignorance in regard to it.

We- had much serious conversation on this subject
of the tides ; and Jack told us, in his own quiet, phi-
losophical way, that these tides did great good to the
world in many ways, particularly in the way of
cleansing the shores of the land, and carrying off the
filth that was constantly poured into the sea there-
from ; which, Peterkin suggested, was remarkably tidy
of it to do. Poor Peterkin could never let slip an
opportunity to joke, however inopportune it might
be: which at first we fomid rather a disagreeable
propensity, as it often interrupted the flow of very
agreeable conversation; and, indeed, I cannot too
strongly record my disapprobation of this tendency
in general : but we became so used to it at last that
we found it no interruption whatever ; indeed,
strange to say, we came to feel that it was a neces-
sary part of our enjoyment (such is the force of habit),
and foimd the sudden outbursts of mirth, resulting
from his humorous disposition, quite natural and

TBB CORAL ISLAND. 165

refreshing to us in the midst of our more serious
conversations. But I must not misrepresent Peter-
kin. We often found, to our surprise, that he knew
many things which we did not ; and I also observed
that those things which he learned from experience
were never forgotten. From all these things I came
at length to understand that things very opposite
and dissimilar in themselves, when imited, do make
an agreeable whole; as, for example, we. three
on this our island, although most unlike in many
things, when united, made a trio so harmonious that
I question if there ever met before such an agreeable
triumvirate. There was, indeed, no note of discord
whatever in the symphony we played together on
that sweet Coral Island ; and I am now persuaded
that this was owing to our having been all tuned to
the same key, namely, that of love ! Yes, we loved
one another with much fervency while we lived on
that island ; and, for the matter of that, we love each
other stilL

And while I am on this subject, or ratner the
subject that just preceded it — ^namely, the tides — ^I
may here remark on another curious natural phe-
nomenon. We found that there was little or no
twilight in this island. We had a distinct remem-
brance of the charming long twilight at home, which
some people think the most delightful part of the

166 THE CORAL ISLAND.

day, though for my part I have always preferred
sunrise; and when we first landed, we used to sit
down on some rocky point or eminence, at the dose
of our day's work, to enjoy the evening breeze ; but
no sooner had the sun sunk below the horizon than
all became suddenly dark. This rendered it neces-
sary that we should watch the sun when we happened
to be out himting, for to be suddenly left in the dark
while in the woods was very perplexing, as, although
the stars shone with great beauty and brilliancy, they
could not pierce through the thick umbrageous boughs
that interlaced above our heada

But^ to return : After having told all we could
to Peterkin about the Diamond Cave under Spouting
Cliff, as we named the locality, we were wending our
way rapidly homewards, when a grunt and a squeal
were borne down by the land breeze to our ears.

'* That's the ticket!'' was Peterkin's remarkable
exclamation, as he started convulsively, and levelled
his spear.

" Hist ! " cried Jack ; " these are your friends, Peter-
kin. They must have come over expressly to pay
you a friendly visit, for it is the first time we have
seen them on this side the island"

" Come along!" cried Peterkin, hurrying towards
the wood, while Jack and I followed, smiling at his
impatience^

THB OOKAL ISLAND. 167

Another grunt and half a dozen squeals, much
loader than before, came down the valley. At this
time we were just opposite the small vale which lay
between the Valley of the Wreck and Spouting Qiffi

" I say, Peterkin,'' cried Jack, in a hoarse whisper,

"Well, whatis't?"

"Stay a bit, man. These grunters are just up
there on the hill side. K you go and stand with
Ralph in the lee of yon diff, I'll cut round behind
and drive tiiem through the gorge, so that youH have
a better chance of picking out a good one. Now,
mind you pitch into a fat young pig, Peterkin,"
added Jack, as he sprang into the bushea

"Won't 1, just!" said Peterkin, licking his lips,
as we took our station beside the cliff " I feel quite
a tender affection for young pigs in my heart. Per-
haps it would be more correct to say in my s — ."

" There they come !" cried I, as a terrific yell from
Jack sent the whole herd screaming down the hill.
Now, Peterldn, being unable to hold back, crept a
short way up a very steep grassy mound, in order to
get a better view of the hogs before they came up ;
and just as he raised his head above its summit, two
little pigs, which had outrun their companions, rushed
over the top with the utmost precipitation. One of
these brushed dose past Peterkin's ear; the other,
unable to arrest its headlong flight, went, as Peterkin

168 THE CORAL ISLAIO).

himself aflerwards expressed it, *' bash" into his arms
with a sudden squeal, which was caused more by the
force of the blow than the will of the animal, and
both of them rolled violently down to the foot of the
mound No sooner was this reached than the little
pig recovered its feet, tossed up its tail, and fled
shrieking from the spot But I slang a large stone
after it, which, being fortunately well aimed, hit it
behind the ear, and felled it to the earth.

" Capital, Balph ! that's your sort \" cried Peterkin,
who, to my surprise and great relief, had risen to his
feet. Apparently unhurt, though much dishevelled,
he rushed &anticly towards the gorge, which the
yells of the hogs told us they were now approaching.
I had made up my mind that I would abstain from
killing another, as, if Peterkin should be successful,
two were more than sufficient for our wants at the
present time. Suddenly they all burst forth, — ^two
or three little round ones in advance, and an enor-
mous old sow with a drove of hogs at her heela

" Now, Peterkin," said I, " there's a nice little fat
one ; just spear it."

But Peterkin did not move ; he allowed it to pass
unharmed. I looked at him in surprise, and saw
that his lips were compressed and his eyebrows knit-
ted, as if he were about to fight with some awful
enemy.

THB CORAL ISLAND. 169

•* What is it?" I inquired, with some trepidation.

Suddenly he levelled his spear, darted forward,
and, with a yell that nearly froze the blood in my
veins, stabbed the old sow to the heart. Nay, so
vigorously was it done that the spear went in at one
side and came out at the other !

" Oh, Peterkin!" said I, going up to him, " what
have you done?"

" Done ? I've killed their great-great-grandmother,
that's aU," said he, looking with a somewhat awe-
struck expression at the transfixed animal

'' Hallo ! what's this ?" said Jack, as he came up.
" Why, Feterkin, you must be fond of a tough chop.
If you mean to eat this old hog, shell try your jaws,
I warrant What possessed you to stick Aer, Peter-
kin?"

" Why, the fact is I want a pair of shoes."

" What have your shoes to do with the old hog?"
said I, smiling.

'' My present shoes have certainly nothing to do
with her," replied Peterkin ; " nevertheless she will
have a good deal to do with my fixture shoea The
fact is, when I saw you floor that pig so neatly,
Ralph, it struck me that there was little use in kill-
ing another. Then I remembered all at once that I
had long wanted some leather or tough substance tc
make shoes oi, and this old grandmother seemed so

170 THB OORAL ISLAND.

tough that I just made up my mind to stick her, and
you see I've done it !''

''That you certainly have, Feterkin,'' said Jack,
as he was eyamining the transfixed animal

We now considered how we were to carry our
game home, for, although the distance was short, the
hog was very heavy. At length we hit on the plan
of tying its four feet together, and passing the spear
handle between them. Jack took one end on his
shoulder, I took the other on mine, and Peterkin
carried the small pig.

Thus we returned in triumph to our bower, laden,
as Peterkin remarked, with the glorious spoils of a
noble hunt. As he afterwards spoke in similarly
glowing terms in reference to the supper that fol-
lowed, there is every reason to believe that we retired
that night to oui* leafy beds in a high state of sati^
faction.

THE CO&AX ISLAVn. 171

CHAPTER XV.

BmUboJUUng eartnordhiary— PeterUn tries his hand at cookery and &Uls most sig-
nally— The boat finished— Cnrloiu conversation with the eat, and other matters.

Fob many days after this Jack applied himself with
unremitting assiduity to the construction of our boat,
which at length began to look somewhat like one.
But those only who have had the thing to do can
entertain a right idea of the difficulty involved in
such an undertaking, with no other implements than
an axe, a bit of hoop-iron, a sail-needle, and a broken
pen-knife. But Jack did it. He was of that dis-
position which wiU not be conquered. When he
believed himself to be acting rightly, he overcame all
obstacles. I have seen Jack, when doubtful whether
what he was about to do were right or wrong, as
timid and vacillating as a littie girl, — and I honour
him for it !

As this boat was a curiosity in its way, a few
words here relative to the manner of its construction
may not be amiss.

I have already mentioned the chestnut tree with
its wonderful buttresses or planks. This tree, then,
furnished us with the chief part of our material.
First of all Jack sought out a limb of a tree of such
a form and size as, whUe it should form the keel a

I7S THB COKAL ISLAKD.

bend at either end should form the stem and stem
posts. Such a piece, however, was not easy to obtaLn,
but at last he procured it, by rooting up a small tree
which had a branch growing at the proper angle about
ten feet up its stem, with two strong roots growing
in such a form as enabled him to make a flat-stemed
boat. This placed, he procuxed three branching roots
of suitable size, which he fitted to the keel at equal
distances, thus forming three strong ribs. Now, the
squaring and shaping of these, and the cutting of the
grooves in the keel, was an easfy enough matter, as
it was all work for the axe, in the use of which Jack
was become wonderfiiUy expert; but it was quite a
dijBTerent affair when he came to nailing the ribs to
the keel, for we had no instrument capable of boring
a large hole, and no nails to fasten them with. We
were, indeed, much perplexed here; but Jack at length
devised an instrument that served very well. He
took the remainder of our hoop-iron and beat it into
the form of a pipe or cylinder, about as thick as a
man's finger. This he did by means of our axe and
the old rusty axe we had found at the house of the
poor man at the other side of the island. This, when
made red hot, bored slowly through the timbers; and,
the better to retain the heat, Jack shut up one end
of it and filled it with sand. True, the work was
very slowly done, but it mattered not — ^we had little

THS CORAL ISLAND. 178

else to do. Two holes were bored in each timber,
about an inch and a half apart, and also down into
the keel, but not quite through. Into these were
placed stout pegs made of a tree called iron-wood ;
and, when they were hammered well home, the
timbers were as firmly fixed as if they had been
nailed with iron. The gunwales, which were very
stout, were fixed in a similar manner. But, besides
the wooden nails, they were firmly lashed to the
stem and Btem posts and ribs by meaiis of a species
of cordage which we had contrived to make out of
the fibrous husk of the cocoa nut. This husk was
very tough,, and when a number of the threads were
joined together they formed excellent cordage. At
first we tied the difierent lengths together, but this
was such a clumsy and awkward compUcation of
knots, that we contrived, by carefid interlacing of
the ends together before twisting, to make good
cordage of any size or length we chose. Of course
it cost us much time and infinite labour, but Jack
kept up ovi spirits when we grew wearjr, and so all
that we required was at last constructed.

Planks were now cut off* the chestnut trees of about
an inch thick. These were dressed with the axe, —
but clumsily, for an axe is ill adapted for such work.
Five of these planks on each side were sufiSdent, and
we formed the boat in a very rounded, barrel-like

174 THE CORAL ISLAND.

shape, in order to have as little twisting of the planks
a£i possible ; for, although we could easily bend them,
we could not easily twist them. Having no nails to
rivet the planks with, we threw aside the ordinary
fashion of boat building and adopted one of our own.
The planks were therefore placed on each other's
edges, and sewed together with the tough cordage
already mentioned. They were also thus sewed to
the stem, the stem, and the keel Each stitch or tie
was six inches apart, and was formed thus : Three
holes were bored in the upper plank and three in the
lower, — the holes being above each other, that is, in a
vertical line. Through these holes the cord was passed,
and, when tied, formed a powerful stitch of three ply.
Besides this, we placed between the edges of the
planks, layers of cocoarnut fibre, which, as it swelled
when wetted, would, we hoped, make our little vessel
water-tight. But in order further to secure this end,
we collected a large quantity of pitch from the bread-
fruit tree, with which, when boiled in our old iron
pot, we payed the whole of the inside of the boat,
and, while it was yet hot, placed large pieces of cocoa-
nut cloth on it, and then gave it another coat above
that. Thus the interior was covered with a tough
water-tight material; while the exterior, being un-
covered, and so exposed to the swelling action of the
water, was we hoped, likely to keep the boat quite

THE OORAL ISLAND. 1 75

dry. I may add that our hopes were not dis-
appointed.

While Jack was thus engaged, Peterkin and I
sometimes assisted him, but, as our assistance was
not much required, we more frequently went a-hunt-
ing on the extensive mud-flats at the entrance of the
long valley which lay nearest to our bower. Here
we found large flocks of ducks of various kinds, some
of them bearing so much resemblance to the wild
ducks of our own country that I think they must
have been the same. On these occasions we took
the bow and the sling, with both of which we were
often successful, though 1 must confess I was the
least so. Our suppers were thus pleasantly varied,
and sometimes we ha^ such a proLon spLd out
before us that we frequently knew not with which
of the dainties to begin.

I must also add, that the poor old cat which we
had brought home had always a liberal share of our
good things, and so well was it looked after, especially
by Peterkin, that it recovered much of its former
strength, and seemed to improve in sight as well as
hearing.

The large flat stone, or rock of contl, which stood just
in front of the entrance to our bower, was our table.
On this rock we had spread out the few articles we
possessed the day we were shipwrecked ; and on the

176 THB COBAL ISLAND.

same rock, during inany a day afterwards, we spread
out the bountiful supply with which we had been
blessed on our Coral Island Sometimes we sat down
at this table to a feast consisting of hot rolls, — as
Peterkin called the newly baked bread fruit, — ^a roast
pig, roast duck, boiled and roasted yams, cocoa nuts,
taro, and sweet potatoes; which we followed up with
a dessert of plums, apples, and plantains, — ^the last
being a large-«zed and deUghtful fruit, wHch grew
on a large shrub or tree not more than twelve feet
high, with light-green leaves of enormous length and
breadth. These luxurious feasts were usually washed
down with cocoa-nut lemonade.

Occasionally Peterkin tried to devise some new
dish, — "a conglomerate," as he used to say; but these
generally turned out such atrocious compounds that
he was ultimately induced to give up his attempts
in extreme disgust. Not forgetting, however, to
point out to Jack that his failure was a direct con-
tradiction to the proverb which he, Jack, was con-
stantly thrusting down his throat, namely, that "where
there's a will there's a way." For he had a great wiD
to become a cook, but could by no means find a way
to accomplish that end.

One day, while Peterkin and I were seated beside our
table on which dinner was spread. Jack came up from
the beach, and, flinging down his axe, exclaimed, —

THE CORAX ISLAND. 177

^' There^ lads, the boat's finished at last ! so weVe
nothing to do now but shape two pair of oars, and
then we may put to sea as soon as we like."

This piece of news threw us into a state of great
joy; for although we were aware that the boat had
been gradually getting near its completion, it had
taken so long that we did not expect it to be quite
ready for at least two or three weeks. But Jack
had wrought hard and said nothing, in order to sur-
prise us.

"My dear fellow," cried Peterkin, "you're a
perfect trump. But why did you not tell us it was
so nearly ready? won't we have a jolly sail to-morrow?
eh?"

" Don't talk so much, Peterkin," said Jack ; " and,
pray, hand me a bit of that pig."

" Certainly, my dear," cried Peterkin, sei2dng the
axe ; " what part will you have ? a leg, or a wing,
or a piece of the breast ; which ?"

" A hind leg, if you please," answered Jack; and,
pray, be so good as to include the tail."

" With all my heart," said Peterkin, exchanging

the axe for his hoop-iron knife, with which he cut

off the desired portion. " I'm only too glad, my dear

boy, to see that your appetite is so wholesale ; and

thie's no chance whatever of ite dwindling down

into re-tail again, at least in so far as this pig is

12

178 THE OORAL ISLAND.

concerned. Ralph, lad, why don't you laugh ? — eh ?"
he added, turning suddenly to me with a severe look
of inquiry.

" Laugh ?" said I ; " what at, Peterkin? why should
I laugh?"

Both Jack and Peterkin answered this inquiiy by
themselves laughing so immoderately that I was in-
duced to believe I had missed noticing some good
joke, so I begged that it might be explained to me ;
but as this only produced repeated roars of laughter,
I smiled and helped myself to another slice of plan-
tain.

" Well, but," continued Peterkin, " I was talking
of a sail to-morrow. Can't we have one. Jack ?"

'' No," replied Jack, " we can't have a sail, but I
hope we shall have a row, as I intend to work hard
at the oars this afternoon, and, if we can't get them
finished by sunset we'll light our candle-nuts, and
turn them out of hands before we turn into bed."

" Very good," said Peterkin, tossing a lump of pork
to the cat, who received it with a mew of satis&ction.
I'll help you, if I can."

" Afterwards," continued Jack, " we will make a
sail out of the cocoa-nut doth, and rig up a mast,
and then we shall be able to sail to some of the
other islands, and visit our old friends the penguins*"

The prospect of being so soon in a position to ex-

THB COBAL ISLAND. 179

tend our observations to the other islands, and enjoy
a sail over the beautifiil sea, afforded us much delight,
an4 9&esr dinner, we set about making the oars
in good earnest. Jack went into the woods and
blocked them roughly out with the axe, and I
smoothed them down with the knife, while Feterkin
remained in the bower, spinning, or, rather, twisting
some strong thick cordage with which to fasten them
to the boat.

We worked hard and rapidly, so that, when the
sun went down. Jack and I returned to the bower
with four stout oars, which required little to be done
to them save a dight degree of polishing mth the
knife. As we drew near we were suddenly arrested
by the sound of a voice ! We were not a little sur-
prised at this — ^indeed I may almost say alarmed —
for, although Peterkin was undoubtedly fond of talk-
ing, we had never, up to this time, found him talking
to himself. We listened intently, and stUl heard the
sound of a voice as if in conversation. Jack motioned
me to be silent, and, advancing to the bower on tip-
toe, we peeped in.

The sight that met our gaze was certainly not a
little amusing. On the top of a log which we some-
times used as a table, sat the black cat, with a very
demure expression on its countenance; and in front
of it, sitting on the ground, with his legs extended

180 THS CORAL ISLAND.

on either side of the log, was Peterkin. At the
moment we saw him he was gazing intently into the
cat's fiace, with his nose about four inches from it, —
his hands being thrust into his breeches pockets.

** Cat/' said Peterkin, turning his head a little on
one side, " I love you !"

There was a pause, as if Peterkin awaited a reply
to this affectionate dedaration. But the cat said
nothing.

" Do you hear me ?" cried Peterkin, sharply. " I
love you — I do. Don't you love me ?"

To this touching appeal the cat said ''Mew/'
faintly.

" Ah ! that's right. You're a jolly old rascal
Why did you not speak at once? eh 7" and Peterkin
put forward his mouth and kissed the cat on the
nose !

" Yes," continued Peterkin, after a pause, " I love
you. D'you think I'd say so if I didn't, you black
villain ? I love you because I've got to take care of
you, and to look after you, and to think about you,
and to see that you don't die — " .

" Mew, me-a-w 1" said the cat.

" Very good," continued Peterkin, " quite true, I
have no doubt; but you've no right to interrupt me,
idr. Hold your tongue till I have done speaking.
Moreover, cat, I love you because you came to me

THE CORAL ISLAIO). 181

the first time you ever saw me, and didn't seem to be
a&aid, and appeared to be fond of me, though you
didn't know that I wasn't going to kill you. Now,
that was brave, that was bold, iaiid very jolly, old
boy, and I love you for it — I do !"

Again there was a pause of a few n^nutes, during
which the cat looked placid, and Peterkin dropped
his eyes upon its toes as if in contemplation. Sud-
denly he looked up.

" Well, cat, what are you thinking about now ?
won't speak ? eh ? Now, tell me ; don't you think
it's a monstrous shame that these two scoundrels,
Jack and Ralph, should keep us waiting for our
supper so long?"

Here the cat arose, put up its back and stretched
itself; yawned slightly, and licked the point of Peter-
kin's nose !

" Just so, old boy, you're a clever fellow, — I really
do believe the brute understands me t" said Peterkin,
' whHe a broad grin overspread his face, as he drew
back and surveyed the cat

At this point Jack burst into a loud fit of laughter.
The cat uttered an angiy fufi* and fled, while Peterkin
sprang up and exclaimed, —

" Bad luck to you, Jack I you've nearly made the
heart jump out of my body, you have."

''Perhaps I have," replied Jack, laughing, as we

182 THE CORAL ISLAflD.

entered the bower, '' but, as I don't intend to keep
70U or the cat any longer firOm your sapper, I hope
that you'll both forgive me."

Peterkin endeavoured to turn this aSair off with
a laugh, but I observed that he blushed very deeply
at the time we discovered ourselves, and he did not
seem to relish any allusion to the subject afterwards;
so we refrained from remarking on it ever after, —
though it tickled us not a little at the time.

After supper we retired to rest and to dream of
wonderful adventures in our little boat, and distant
voyages upon the sea.

THE OOSAL ISJUAND. 188

CHAPTER XVI.

The boat launched— We yislt the coral reef— The great breaker tiiat never goes down
—Coral inflects— The way in which coral islands are made— the boat's sail- We
tax onr ingenuity to form fish-hooks— Some of the fish we saw— And a monstrous
whale— Wonderftil shower of little fish— Water-spouts.

It was a bright, dear, beautiful morning, when we
first launched our little boat and rowed out upon the
pladd waters of the lagoon. Not a breath of wind
ruffled the surface of the deep. Not a cloud spotted
the deep blue sky. Not a sound that was discordant
broke the stillness of the morning, although there
were many sounds, sweet, tiny, and melodious, that
mingled in the universal harmony of nature. The
sun was just rising £rom the Pacific's ample bosom
and tipping the mountain tops with a red glow. The
sea was shining like a sheet of glass, yet heaving
with the long deep swell that, aU the world round,
indicates the life of ocean ; and the bright sea-weeds
and the brilliant corals shone in the depths of that
peUucid water, as we rowed over it, like rare and
precious gems. Oh ! it was a sight fitted to stir the
soul of man to its profoundest depths, and, if he
owned a heart at aU, to lifb that heart in adoration
and gratitude to the great Creator of this magnificent
and glorious universa

184 tHS COltAL ISLAND.

At firsts in the strength of our delight, we rowed
hither and thither without aim or object. But after
the effervescence of our spirits was abated, we began
to look about us and to consider what we should do.

" I vote that we row to the reef/' cried Peterkin.

" And I vote that we visit the islands within the
lagoon/' said L

" And I vote we do both/' cried Jack, " so pull
away, boys."

As I have already said, we had made four oars,
but our boat was so small that only two were neces-
sary. The extra pair were reserved in case any ac-
cident should happen to the others. It was therefore
only needful that two of us should row, while the
third steered, by means of an oar, and relieved the
rowers occasionally.

First we landed on one of the small islands and
ran all over it, but saw nothing worthy of particular
notice. Then we landed on a larger island, on which
were growing a few cocoa-nut trees. Not having
eaten anything that morning, we gathered a few of the
nuts and breakfasted. After this we pulled straight
out to sea and landed on the coral reef

This was indeed a novel and interesting sight to
ua We had now been so long on shore that we had
almost forgotten the appearance of breakers, for there
were none within the lagoon; but now, as we stood

THE COBAL ISLAND. 185

beside the foam-crested billow of the open sea, all
the enthusiasm of the sailor was awakened in our
breasts; and, as we gazed on the wide-spread ruin of
that single magnifioent breaker that burst in thunder
at our feet, we forgot the C!oral Isknd behind us ; we
forgot our bower and the calm repose of the scented
woods ; we forgot all that had passed during the last
few months, and remembered nothing but the storms,
the calms, the fresh breezes and the surging billows
of the open sea.

This huge, ceaseless breaker, to which I have so
often alluded, was a much larger and more sublime
object than we had at all imagined it to ba It rose
many yards above the level of the sea, and could be
seen approaching at some distance from the reef
Slowly and majestically it came on, acquiring greater
volume and vdodty aa it advanced, untfl it assumed
the form of a dear wateiv arch, which sparkled in
the bright sun. On iTLe with resLtless and
solemn majesty, — the upper edge lipped gently over,
and it fell with a roar that seemed as though the
heart of Ocean were broken in the crash of tumul-
tuous water, while the foam-dad coral reef appeared
to tremble beneath the mighty shock !

We gazed long and wonderingly at this great sight,
and it was with difficulty we could tear ourselves
away from it. As I have once before mentioned,

186 THB CORAL ISLAND.

this wave broke in many places over the reef and
scattered some of its spray into the lagoon, but in
most places the reef was sufficiently broad and
elevated to receive and check its entire forca In
many places the coral rocks were covered with vege-
tation, — ^the beginning, as it appeared to us, of future
islanda Thus, on this reef, we came to perceive how
most of the smaJl islands of those seas are formed.
On one part we saw the spray of the breaker washing
over the rocks, and millions of little, active, busy
creatures continuing the work of building up this
Uving rampart At another place, which tn« just a
little too high for the waves to wash over it, the
coral insects were all dead ; for we found that they
never did their work above water. They had &ith-
folly completed the mighty work which their Creator
had given them to do, and they were now all dead.
Again, in other spots the ceaseless lashing of the sea
had broken the dead coral in pieces, and cast it up
in the form of sand. Here sea-birds had alighted,
little pieces of sea-weed and stray bits of wood had
been washed up, seeds of plants had been carried
by the wind, and a few lovely blades of bright green
had already sprung up, which, when they died, would
increase the size and fertility of these emeralds of
Ocean. At other places these islets had grown
apace, and were shaded by one or two cocoaruut

THE CORAL ISLAND. 187

trees, which grew, literally, in the sand, and were
constantly washed by the ocean spray; yet, as I have
before remarked, their fruit was most refreshing and
sweet to our taste.

Again at this time Jack and I pondered the forma-
tion of the large coral islanda We could now under-
stand how the low ones were formed, but the larger
islands cost us much consideration, yet we could
arrive at no certain conclusion on the subject.

Having satisfied our curiosity and enjoyed ourselves
during the whole day, in our little boat, we retiuned,
somewhat wearied, and, withal, rather hungry, to our
bower.

" Now,'' said Jack, " as our boat answers so well,
we will get a mast and sail made inmiediately."

" So we will," cried Peterkin, as we all assisted to
drag the boat above high-water mark ; " well light
our candle and set about it this very night. Hurrah,
my boys, puU away !"

As we dragged our boat, we observed that she
grated heavily on her keel; and, as the sands were in
this place mingled with broken coral rocks, we saw
portions of the wood being scraped off.

" Hallo ! " cried Jack, on seeing thia " That won't
do. Our keel will be worn off in no time at this
rate."

" So it will,*' said I, pondering deeply as to how

188 THE COBAL ISLAND.

this might be prevented. But I am not of a me-
chanical turn, naturally, so I could conceive no remedy
save that of putting a plate of iron on the keel, but
as we had no iron I knew not what was to be done.
" It seems to me, Jack/' I added, " that it is impos-
sible to prevent the keel being worn off thus."

"Impossible!" cried Peterkin, "my dear Balph,
you are mistaken, there is nothing so easy."

" How?" I inquired, in some surprise

"Why, by not using the boat at all!" replied
Peterkin.

" Hold your impudent tongue, Peterkin," said
Jack, as he shouldered the oars, " come along with
me and I'll give you work to do. In the first place,
you will go and collect cocoa-nut fibre, and set to
work to make sewing twine with it — **

" Please, captain," interrupted Peterkin, " I've got
lots of it made already, — ^more than enough, as a
little Mend of mine used to be in the habit of saying
every day after dinner."

" Very well," continued Jack ; " then youTl help
Ralph to collect cocoa-nut doth, and cut it into shape,
after which we'll make a sail of it. I'll see to get-
ting the mast and the gearing; so let's to work"

And to work we went right busily, so that in three
days from that time we had set up a mast and sail,
with the necessary rigging, in our little boat. The

THE COBAL ISLAND. 189

sail was not, indeed, very handsome to look at, as it
was formed of a number of oblong patches of doth ;
but we had sewed it well by means of our sail-needle,
so that it was strong, which was the chief point.
Jack had also overcome the difficulty about the keel,
by pinning to it a fois^ keel This was a piece of
tough wood, of the same length and width as the
real keel, and about five inches deep. He made it
of this depth because the boat would be thereby ren-
dered not only much more safe, but more able to
beat against the wind ; which, in a sea where the
trade-winds blow so long and so steadily in one
direction, was a matter of great importance. This
piece of wood was pegged very firmly to the keel ;
and we now launched our boat with the satisfaddon of
knowing that when the false keel should be scraped
off we could easily put on another ; whereas, should
the real keel have been scraped away, we could not
have renewed it without takiog our boat to pieces,
which Peterkin said made his " marrow quake to
think upon.''

The mast and sail answered excellently ; and we
now sailed about in the lagoon with great delight,
and examined with much interest the appearance of
our island from a distance. Also, we gazed into the
depths of the water, and watched for hours tlxe gam-
bols of the curious and bright-coloured fish among

J

190 THB COBAL ISLAND.

the corals and searweed. Peterkin also made a fish-
ing line, and Jack constnicted a number of hooka,
some of which were very good, others remarkably
bad. Some of these hooks were made of iron-wood,
which did pretty well, the wood being extremely
hard, and Jack made them very thick and larga
Fish there are not particular. Some of the crooked
bones in fish-heads also answered for this purpose
pretty well But that which formed our best and
most servioeable hook was the biuss finger-riBg be-
longing to Jack. It gave him not a little trouble to
manufcusture it. First he cut it with the axe ; then
twisted it into the form of a hook. The barb took
him several hours to cut. He did it by means of
constant sawing with the broken pen-knif. As for Uxe
pomt, an hour's rubbing on a piece of sandstone made
an excellent one.

It would be a matter of much time and labour to
describe the appearance of the multitudes of fish that
were day after day drawn into our boat by means of
the brass hook. Peterkin always caught them, — ^for
we observed that he derived much pleasure from fish-
ing, — while Jack and I found ample amusement in
looking on, also in gazing down at the coral grovea;,
and in baiting the hook. Among the fish that we
saw, but did not catch, were porpoises and sword-fish,
whales and sharks. The porpoises came freouently

THE COBAL ISLAND. 391

into our lagoon in shoals, and amused us not a little
by their bold leaps into the air, and their playful
gambols in the sea. The sword-fish were wonderful
creatures; some of them apparently ten feet in length,
with OQ ivoiy spear, six or eight feet long, project-
ing from their nosea We often saw them darting
afber other fish, and no doubt they sometimes killed
them with their ivoiy swords. Jack remembered
having heard once of a sword-fish attacking a ship,—
which seemed strange indeed ; but, as they are often
in the habit of attacking whales, perhaps it mistook
the ship for one. This sword-fish ran against the
vessel with such force, that it drove its sword quite
through the thick planks ; and when the ship arrived
in harbour, long afterwards, the sword was found
still sticking in it !

Sharks did not often appear; but we took care
never again to bathe in deep water without leaving
one of our number in the boat to give us warning,
if he should see a shark approaching. As for the
whales, they never came into our lagoon, but we fre-
quently saw them spouting in the deep water beyond
the reef I shall never forget my surprise the first
day I saw one of these huge monsters dose to me.
We had been rambling about on the reef during the
morning, and were about to re-embark in our little
boat, to return home, when a loud blowing sound

192 THE CORAL ISUlKD.

caiifled us to wheel rapidly round. We were just in
time to see a shower of spray falling, and the flukes
or tail of some monstrous fish disappear in the sea a
few hundred yards off. We waited some time to
see if he would rise again. As we stood, the sea
seemed to open up at our very feet ; an immense
spout of water was sent with a snort high into the air,
and the huge blimt head of a sperm whaJe arose be-
fore u& It was so large that it could easily have
taken our little boat, along with ourselves, into its
mouth ! It plunged slowly back into the sea, like a
large ship foundering, and struck the water with its
bail so forcibly as to cause a sound like a canuon shot
We also saw a great number of flying fish, although
we caught none; and we noticed that they never flew
out of the water except when followed by their bitter
foe, the dolphin, from whom they thus endeavoured to
escape. But of all the fish that we saw, none surprised
us so much as those that we used to find in shallow
pools after a shower of rain; and this not on account
of their appearance, for they were ordinary-lookiiig
and very small, but on account of their havin£C de-
sceudedinaahowerofrain. We could acZt for
them in no other way, because the pools in which we
found these fish were quite dry before the shower,
and at some distance above high-water mark. Jack,
however, suggested a cause which seemed to me very

THE CORAL ISLAND. 198

probable. We used often to see water-spouts in the
sea. A water-spout is a whirling body of water, which
rises £rom the sea like a sharp-pointed pillar. After
rising a good way, it is met by a long tongue, which
comes down from the clouds; and when the two have
joined, they look something like an hour-glass. The
water-spout is then carried by the wind, sometimes
gently, sometimes with violence, over the sea, some-
times up into the clouds, and then, bui:sting asunder,
it descends in a deluge. This often happens over the
land as well as over the sea ; and it sometimes does
much damage, but frequently it passes gently away.
Now, Jack thought that the little fish might perhaps
have been carried up in a water-spout, and so sent
down again in a shower of rain. But we could not
be certain as to this point ; yet we thought it likely.
During these delightful fishing and boating excur-
sions we caught a^ood ma^T^els, which we found
to be very good to eat We also foimd turtles among
the coral rocks, and made excellent soup in our iron
kettla Moreover, we discovered many shrimps and
prawns, so that we had no lack of variety in our food ;
and. indeed, we never passed a week without making
some new and interesting discovery of some sort or
other, either on the land or in the sea.

l'6

194 THE CORAl. ISLAITD.

CHAPTER XVII.

A moniter ware and its eonaeqnencea— The boat lost and fonnd—Peterkin's terrible
accident— Sapplies of food for a voya^ in the boat— We yisit Penguin Island, and
are amaxed beyond measure— Account of the pengnbia

Ons day, not long after our little boat was finished,
we were sitting on the rocks at Spouting Cliff, and
talking of an excursion which we intended to make
to Penguin Island the next day.

" You see,'' said Peterkin, " it might be all very
well for a stupid fellow like me to remain here and
leave the penguins alone, but it would be quite in-
consistent with your characters as philosophers to
remain any longer in ignorance of the habits and
customs of these birds; so the sooner we go the
better."

" Very true," said I; " there is nothing I desire so
much as to have a closer inspection of them."

** And I think," said Jack, " that you had better
remain at home, Peterkin, to take care of the cat; for
I'm sure the hogs will be at it in your absence, out
of revenge for your killing their great-grandmother
so recklessly."

" Stay at home?" cried Peterkin; " my dear fellow,
you would certainly lose your way, or get upset, if I
were not there to take care of you."

THK OORAL ISLAND. 195

" Ah, true," said Jack, gravely, " that did not
occur to me ; no doubt you must go. Our boat does
require a good deal of ballast ; and all that you say,
Peterkin, carries so much weight with it, that wa
won't need stones if you go/'

Now, while my companions were talking, a notable
event occurred, which, as it is not generally known,
I shall be particular in recording here.

While we were talking, as I have said, we noticed
a dark line, like a low doud or fog-bank, on the sea-
ward horizon. The day was a fine one, though cloudy,
and a gentle breeze was blowing, but the sea was not
rougher, of the breaker on the reef higher, than usual
At first we thought that this looked like a thunder-
cloud ; and, as we had had a good deal of broken
weather of late, accompanied by occasional peals of
thunder, we supposed that a storm must be approach-
ing. Gradually, however, this line seemed to draw
nearer, without spreading up over the sky, as would
certainly have been the case if it had been a storm-
cloud. Still nearer it came, and soon we saw that it
was moving swiftly towards the island ; but there
was no sound till it reached the islands out at sea.
As it pa^d these islands, we observed, with no little
anxiety, that a doud of white foam endrded them,
and burst in spray into the air : it was accompanied
by a loud roar. This led us to conjecture that the

196 THE OORAL ISLAND.

approaching object was an enormous wave of the sea;
but we had no idea how large it was till it came near
to ourselvea When it approached the outer reef,
however, we were awe-struck with its unusual mag-
nitude ; and we sprang to our feet, and clambered
hastily up to the highest point of the precipice, under
an indefinable feeling of fear.

I have said before that the reef opposite Spouting
Cliff was very near to the shore, while, just in front
of the bower, it was at a considerable distance out to
sea. Owing to this formation, the wave reached the
reef at the latter point before it struck at the foot of
Spouting Cliff. The instant it touched the reef we
became aware, for the first time, of its awful magni*
tude. It burst completely over the reef at all points,
with a roar that seemed louder to me than thunder ;
and this roar continued for some seconds, while the
wave rolled gradually along towards the cliff on
which we stood. As its crest reared before us, we
felt that we were ia great danger, and turned to fiee;
but we were too late. With a crash that seemed to
shake the solid rocks the gigantic billow feU, and
instantly the spouting-holes sent up a gush of water-
spouts with such force that they shrieked on issuing
firom their narrow vent& It seemed to us as if the
earth had been blown up with water. We were
stunned and confused by the shock, and so drenched

THE CORAL ISLAND. 197

and blinded with spray, that we knew not for a few
moments whither to flee for shelter. At length we
all three gained an eminence beyond the reach of the
water ; but what a scene of devastation met our gaze
as we looked along the shore ! This enormous wave
not only burst over the reef, but continued its way
across the lagoon, and fell on the sandy beach of the
island with such force that it passed completely over
it and dashed into the woods, levelling the smaller
trees and bushes in its headlong course !

On seeing this. Jack said he feared our bower must
have been swept away, and that the boat, which was
on the beach, must have been utterly destroyed. Our
hearts sank within us aa we thought of this, and we
hastened round through the woods towards our home.
On reaching it we found, to our great relief of mind,
that the force of the wave had been expended just
before reaching the bower; but the entrance to it was
almost blocked up by the tom-up bushes and
tangled heaps of searweed Having satisfied our-
selves as to the bower, we hurried to the spot where
the boat had been left; but no boat was there! The
spot on which it had stood was vacant, and no sign
of it could we see on looking around ua

" It may have been washed up into the woods,"
said Jack, hurrying up the beach as he spoke. StiQ,
no boat was to be seen, and we were about to give

198 THE COKAX. ISLAND.

ourselves over t^o despair, when Peterkin called to
Jack and said, —

" Jack, my Mend, you were once so exceedingly
sagadoiis and wise as to make me a^uainted with
the fstct that cocoa nuts grow upon trees; will you
now be so good as to inform me what sort of fruit
that is growing on the top of yonder bush? for I
confess to being ignorant, or, at least, doubtfld on the
point"

We looked towards the bush indicated, and there,
to our surprise, beheld our little boat snugly nes-
tled among the leaves! We were very much over-
joyed at this, for we would have suffered any loss
rather than the loss of our boat. We found that the
wave had actually borne the boat on its crest from
the beach into the woods, and there launched it
into the heart of this bush; which was extremely
fortunate, for had it been tossed against a rock or a
tree, it would have been dashed to pieces, whereas
it had not received the smallest injury. It was no
easy matter, however, to get it out of the bush and
down to the sea again. This cost us two days of
hard labour to accomplish.

We had aJso much ado to dear away the rubbish
from before the bower, and spent nearly a week in
constant labour ere we got the neighbourhood to look
as clean and orderly as before; for the uprooted

THE CORAL ISLAND. 199

bushes and sea-weed that lay on the beach formed a
more dreadfally confused-looking mass than one who
had not seen the place after the inundation could
conceive.

Before leaving the subject I may mention, for the
sake of those who interest themselves in the curious
natural phenomena of our world, that this gigantic
wave occurs regularly on some of the islands of the
Pacific, once, and sometimes twice in the year. I
heard this stated by the misdonaries during my
career in those seas. They could not tell me whether
it visited all of the islands, but I was certainly
assured that it occurred periodically in some of them.

After we had got our home put to rights and
cleared of the debris of the inundation, we again
turned our thoughts to paying the penguins a visit.
The boat was therefore overhauled and a few repairs
done. Then we prepared a supply of provisions, for
we intended to be absent at least a night or two,
perhaps longer. This took us some time to do, for
while Jack was busy with the boat, Peterkin was
sent into the woods to spear a hog or two, and
had to search long, sometimes, ere he found them.
Peterkin was usually sent on this errand, when we
wanted a pork chop (which was not seldom), because
he was so active, and could run so wonderfully fast
that he found no difficulty in overtaking the hogs ;

200 THE CORAL ISLAND.

but, being dreadfully reckless, he almost invariably
tumbled over stumps and stones in the course of his
wild chase, and seldom returned home without having
knocked the skin off his shins. Once, indeed, a more
serious accident happened to him. He had been out
all morning alone aud did not return at the usual
time to dinner. We wondered at this, for Peterkin
was always very punctual at the dinner hour. As
supper-time drew near we began to be anxious about
him, and at length sallied forth to search the woods.
For a long time we sought in vain, but a little before
dark we came upon the tracks of the hogs, which we
followed up until we came to the brow of a rather
steep bank or precipice. Looking over this we
beheld Peterkin lying in a state of insensibility at
the foot, with his cheek resting on the snout of a
little pig, which was pinned to the earth by the
spear ! We were dreadfully alarmed, but hastened to
bathe his forehead with water, and had soon the satis-
£adion of seeing him revive. After we had carried
him home he related to us how the thing had happened.
" You must know," said he, " I walked about all.
the forenoon, till I was as tired as an old donkey,
without seeing a single grunter, not so much as a
track of one; but, as I was determined not to return
empty-handed, I resolved to go without my dinner,
and—"

TH£ CORAL ISLAND. 201

" What !" exclaimed Jack, ** did you reaUy resolve
to do thatr

"Now, Jack, hold your tongue," returned Peterkin;
** I say that I resolved to forego my dinner and to
push to the head of the small valley, where I felt
pretty sure of discovering the hogs. I soon found
that I was on the right scent, for I had scarcely
walked half a mile in the direction of the small plum
tree we found there the other day, when a squeak
fell on my ear. *Ho, ho,' said I, 'there you go,
my boys;' and I hurried up the glen. I soon started
them, and singling out a fat pig, ran tilt at him. In
a few seconds I waa up with him. and stuck my spear
right through his dumpy body. Just as I did so, I
saw that we were on the edge of a precipice, whether
high or low I knew not, but I had been running at
such a pace that I could not stop, so the pig and I
gave a howl in concert and went plunging over to-
gether. I remembered nothing: more after that, till
? came to my senses aad Z.d you bathing my
temples, aad ilph wringing his hids over^."

But although Peterkin was often unfortunate, in
the way of getting tumbles, he was successful on the
present occasion in hunting, and returned before
evening with three very nice little hogs. I, also, was
successful in my visit to the mud-flats, where I killed
several ducks. So that, when we launched and loaded

202 THE CO&AL ISLAND.

our boat at sunrise the following morning, we found
our store of provisions to be more than sufficient.
Part had been cooked the night before, and, on
taking note of the different items, we found the
account to stand thus: —

10 Bread-fruits, (two baked, eight unbaked.)
20 Yams, (six roasted, the rest raw.) .

6 Taro roots.
50 Fine large plums.

6 Cocoa nuts, ripe.

6 Ditto green, (for drinking.)

4 Large ducks and two small ones, raw.

3 Cold roaat pigs, with stuffing.
I may here remark that the stuffing had been
devised by Peterkin specially for the occasion. He
kept the manner of its compounding a profound secret,
so I cannot tell what it was ; but I can say, with
much confidence, that we found it to be atrociously
bad, and, after the first tasting, scraped it carefully
out and threw it overboard. We calculated that this
supply would last us for several days, but we after-
wards found that it was much more than we required,
especially in regard to the cocoa nuts, of which we
found large suppUes wherever we went However,
as Peterkin remarked, it was better to have too much
than too little, as we knew not to what straits we
might be put during our voyage.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 203

It was a very calm sunny morning when we
launched forth and rowed over the lagoon towards
the outlet in the reef, and passed between the two
green islets that guard the entrance. We experienced
some difficulty and no Uttle danger in passing the
surf of the breaker, and shipped a good deal of water
in the attempt ; but^ once past the billow, we found
ourselves floating placidly on the long oily swell
that rose and fell slowly as it rolled over the wide
ocean.

Penguin Island lay on the other side of our own
island, at about a mile beyond the outer ree^ and we
calculated that it must be at least twenty miles
distant by the way we should have to go. We
might, indeed, have shortened the way by coasting
roimd our island inside of the lagoon, and going out
at the passage in the reef nearly opposite to Penguin
Island, but we preferred to go by the open sea; first,
because it was more adventurous; and^ secondly,
because we should have the pleasure of again feeling
the motion of the deep, which we all loved very
much, not being liable to sea sickness.

" I wish we had a breeze," said Jack.

*

" So do 1,'^ cried Peterkin, resting on his oar and
wiping his heated brow; " pulling is hard work. Oh
dear, if we could only catch a hundred or two of
these gulls, tie them to the boat with long strings^

204 TH£ CORAL ISLAND.

and make them fly as we want them, how capital it
would be!"

" Or bore a hole through a shark's tail, and reeve
a rope through it, eh?" remarked Jack. "But, I
say.it seems that my wish is going to be gnmted. for
here comes a breeze. Ship your oar, Peterkin. Up
with the mast, Balph ; 111 see to the sail Mind yoiu:
helm; look out for squalls I''

This last speech was caused by the sudden appear-
ance of a dark blue line on the horizon, which, in an
incredibly short space of time, swept down on us,
lafihing up the sea in white foam as it went. We
presented the stem of the boat to its first violence,
and, in a few seconds, it moderated into a steady
breeze, to which we spread our sail and flew merrily
over the waves. Although the breeze died away soon
afterwards, it had been so stiff while it lasted, that we
were carried over the greater part of our way before
it fell calm again; so that, when the flapping of the
sail against the mast told us that it was time to re-
sume the oars, we were not much more than a mile
from Penguin Island.

"There go the soldiers!" cried Peterkin, as we
came in sight of it; "how spruce their white
trousers look, this morning ! I wonder if they wiD
receive us kindly. D'you think they are hospitable.
Jack?''

THE CORAL ISLAIH). 205

"Don't talk, Peterkin, but pull away, and you
shall see shortly."

As we drew near to the island we were much
amused by the manoeuvres and appearance of these
strange birds. They seemed to be of different species,
for some had crests on their heads while others had
none, and while some were about the size of a goose
others appeared nearly as large as a swan. We also
saw a huge albatross soaring above the heads of the
penguins. It was followed and surrounded by
numerous flocks of sea-gulls. Having approached to
within a few yards of the island, which was a low
rock, with no other vegetation on it than a few
bushes, we lay on our oars and gazed at the birds
with surprise and pleasure, they returning our gaze
with interest. We now saw that their soldier-like
appearance was owing to the stiff, erect manner in
which they sat on their short legs, — " Bolt-up-right,"
as Peterkin expressed it. They had black heads,
long sharp beaks, white breasts, and bluish backs.
Their wings were so short that they looked more like
the fins of a fish, and, indeed, we soon saw that they
used them for the purpose of swimming under water.
There were no quills on these wings, but a sort of
scaly feathers; which also thickly covered their bodies.
Their legs were g^ort, and placed so far back that
the birds, while on land, were obliged to stand quite

206 THE CORAL ISLAND.

upright in order to keep their balance ; but in the
water they floated like other water-fowL At first
we were so stunned with the clamour which they
and other sea-birds kept up around us, that we knew
not which way to look, — ^for they covered the rocks
in thousands; but> as we continued to gaze, we
observed several quadrupeds (as we thought) walking
in the midst of the penguins.

" Pull in a bit/' cried Peterkin, " and let's see what
these are. They must be fond of noisy company, to
consort with such creatures."

To our surprise we found that these were no
other than penguins which had gone down on all
fours, and were cmwling among the bushes on their
feet and wings, just like quadrupeda Suddenly one
big old bird, that had been sitting on a point very
near to us, gazing in mute astonishment, became
alarmed, and, scuttling down the rocks, plumped or
fell, rather than ran, into the sea. It dived in a
moment, and, a few seconds afterwards, came out of
the water fax a-head, with such a spring, and such a
dive back into the sea again, that we could scarcely
believe it was not a fish that had leaped in sport

"That beats eveiything," said Peterkin, rubbing
his nose, and screwing up his feuse with an expression
of exasperated amazement. " I've heard of a thing
being neither fish, flesh, nor fowl, but I never did

THB CORAL ISLAND. 207

expect to live to see a brute that was all three together,
— at onoe« — in one! But look there!" he continued,
pointing with a look of resignation to the shore ;
''look there! there's no end to it What has that
brute got under its tail?"

We turned to look in the direction pointed out,
and there saw a penguin walking slowly and very
sedately along the shore with an egg under its tail
There were several others^ we observed, burdened in
the same way; and we found afterwards that these
were a species of penguins that always carried their
eggs so. Indeed, they had a most convenient cavity
for the purpose, just between the tail and the lega
We were very much impressed with the regularity
and order of this colony. The island seemed to be
apportioned out into squares^ of which each penguin
possessed one, and sat in stiff solemnity in the middle
of it, or took a slow march up and down the spaces
between. Some were hatching their eggs, but others
were feeding their young ones in a manner that
caused us to laugh not a little. The mother stood
on a mound or raised rock, while the young one stood
patiently below her on the ground. Suddenly the
mother raised her head and uttered a series of the
most discordant cackling sounda

" She's going to choke," cried Peterkin.

But this was not the case, although, I confess, she

208 THE CORAL ISLAND.

looked like it. In a few Beoonds she pnt down her
head and opened her mouth, into which the young
one thrust its beak and seemed to suck something
from her throat. Then the cackling was renewed, the
sucking continued, and so the operation of feeding
was carried on till the young one wafi satisfied;
but what she fed her little one with, we could not
t^lL

"Now, just look yonder!" said Peterkin, in an
excited tone ; " if that isn't the most abominable piece
of maternal deception I ever saw. That rascally old
lady penguin has just pitched her young one into the
sea, and there's another about to follow her example.''

This indeed seemed to be the case, for, on the top
of a steep rock close to the edge of the sea^ we
observed an old penguin endeavouring to entice her
young one into the water; but the young one seemed
very unwilling to go, and, notwithstanding the en-
ticements of its mother, moved very slowly towards
her. At last she went gently behind the young
bird and pushed it a little towards the water, but
with great tenderness, as much as to say, ' Don't be
afraid, darling! I won't hurt you, my pet!' but no
sooner did she get it to the edge of the rock, where
it stood looking pensively down at the sea, than she
gave it a sudden and violent push, sending it headlong
down the slope into the water, where its mother left

THE CORAL ISLAND. 209

It to scramble ashore as it best could. We observed
many of them employed in doing this, and we came
to the conclusion that this is the way in which old
penguins teach their children to swim.

Scarcely had we finished making our remarks on
this, when we were startled by about a dozen of the
old birds hopping in the most dumsy and ludicrous
manner towards the sea. The beach, here, was a
sloping rock, and when they came to it, some of
them succeeded in hoppmg down in safety, but others
lost their balance and roUed and scrambled down the
slope in the most helpless manner. The instant they
reached the water, however, they seemed to be in
their proper element. They dived and bounded out
of it and into it again with the utmost agility ; and
so, diving and bounding and spluttering, for they
could not fly, they went rapidly out to sea.

On seeing this, Peterkin turned with a grave face
to us and said, " It's my opinion that these birds are
all stark, staring mad, and that this is an enchanted
island I therefore propose that we should either
put about ship and fly in terror from the spot, or
land valorously on the island^ and sell our lives as
dearly as we can."

" I vote for landing, so pull in, lads," said Jack,

giving a stroke with his oar that made the boat spin.

In a few seconds we ran the boat into a little creek.

14

210 THE OOBAL ISLAND.

where we made her fast to a projectmg piece of ooral,
and, mnning up the beach, entered the ranks of the
penguins armed with our cudgels and our spear/
We were greatly surprised to find that, instead of
attacking us or showing signs of fear at our approach,
these curious birds did not move from their places
until we laid hands on them, and merely turned
their eyes on us in solemn, stupid wonder as we
passed There was one old penguin, however, that
began to walk slowly toward the sea, and Peterkin
took it into his head that he would try to interrupt
its progress, so he ran between it and the sea and
brandished his cudgel in its £Etce. But this proved
to be a resolute old bird. It would not retreat; nay,
more, it would not ' cease to advance, but battled
with Peterkin bravely and drove him before it until
it reached the sea. Had Peterkin used his dub he
could easily have felled it, no doubt ; but, as he had
no wish to do so cruel an act merely out of sporty he
let the bird escape.

We spent fuUy three horn's on this island in watch-
ing the habits of these curious birds, and, when we
finally left them, we aU three concluded, after much
consultation, that they were the most wonderfdl
creatures we had ever seen; and further, we thought
it probable that they were the most wonderful crea-
tures in the world !

THS CORAL ISLAND. 211

CHAPTER XVm.

kn awfiil vtorm aad Its coBteqnenoea— Narrow eacape— A rock proves a sure foan-
dation— A fearfkil night and a bright morning— Deliyeranee from danger.

It was evening before we left the island of the
penguins. As we had made up our minds to encamp
for the night on a small island, whereon grew a few
cocoa-nut trees, which was about two miles off, we
lay to our oars with some energy. But a danger
was in store for us which we had not anticipated.
The wind, which had carried us so quickly to
Penguin Island, freshened as evening drew on, to a
stiff breeze, and, before we had made half the dis-
tance to the smaU island, it became a regular gale.
Although it was not so directly against us as to
prevent our rowing in the course we wished to go,
yet it checked us very much; and although the force
of the sea was somewhat broken by the island, the
waves soon began to rise, and t^o roll their broken
crests against cur small craft, so that she began to
take in water, and we had much ado to keep our-
selves afloat. At last the wind and sea together be*
came so violent that we found it impossible to make
the island, so Jack suddenly put the head of the boat
round and ordered Peterkin and me to hoist a comer
of the sail, intending to run back to Penguin Island.

2J2 THB CORAL ISLAND.

" We shall at leant have the shelter of the bushes,'*
he said, as the boat flew before the wind, " and the
penguins will keep us company/'

As Jack spoke, the wind suddenly shifted, and
blew so much against us that we were forced to hoist
more of the sail in order to beat up for the island,
being by this change thrown much to leeward of it.
What made matters worse was, that the gale came
in squalls, so that we were more than once nearly
upset.

" Stand by, both of you," cried Jack, in a quick,
earnest tone; "be ready to dowse the sail I very
much fear we won't make the island after alL"

Feterkin and I were so much in the habit of trust*
ing everything to Jack that we had fallen into the
way of not considering things, especially such things
as were under Jack's cara We had, therefore, never
doubted for a moment that all was going well, so
that it was with no little anxiety that we heard him
make the above remark. However, we had no time for
question or surmise, for, at the moment he spoke, a
heavy squall was bearing down upon us^ and, as we were
then flying with our lee gunwale dipping occasionally
under the waves, it was evident that we should have
to lower our sail altogether. In a few seconds the
squall struck the boat, but Feterkin and I had the
sail down in a moment, so that it did not upset us;

TB£ CORAL ISLAND. 213

but, when it was past, we were more than half full
of water. This I soon baled out, while Peterkin
again hoisted a comer of the sail ; but the evil
which Jack had feared came upon us. We found it
quite impossible to make Penguin Island. The gale
carried U3 qtdckly pa«fc it towards the open sea, and
the terrible truth flashed upon us that we should be
swept out and left to perish miserably in a small boat
in I xnidst of the ^de ocean.

This idea was forced very strongly upon us be-
cause we saw nothing in the direction whither the
wind was blowing us save the raging billows of the
sea; and, indeed, we trembled as we gazed around
us, for we were now beyond the shelter of the
islands, and it seemed as though any of the huge
billows, which curled over in masses of foam, might
swallow us up in a moment. The water, also, began
to wash in over our sides, and I had to keep con-
stantly baling, for Jack could not quit the helm nor
Peterkin the sail for an instant, without endangering
ourHvea In the midst of thi^ dist^ JacHte J
an exclamation of hope, and pointed towards a low
island or rock which lay directly ahead It had
been hitherto unobserved, owing to the dark clouds
that obscured the sky and the blinding spray that
seemed to fill the whole atmosphere.

As we neared this rock we observed that it wbs

214 THE COKAL ISLAND.

qiiite destitute of trees and verdure, and so low that
the sea broke completely over it In £BMst it was
nothing more than the summit of one of the coral
formations, which rose only a few feet above the
level of the water, and was, in stormy weather, all
but invisible. Over this island the waves were
breaking in the utmost fury, and our hearts sank
within us as we saw that there was not a spot where
we could thrust our little boat without its being
dashed to piecea

** Show a little bib more sail," cried Jack, as we
swept past the weather side of the rock with fearful
speed.

" Ay, ay," answered Peterkin, hoisting about a foot
more of our saiL

Little though the addition was it caused the boat
tx) lie over and creak so loudly, as we deft the foam-
ing waves, that I expected to be upset every instant;
and I blamed Jack in my heart for his rashness.
But I did him injustice, for, although during two
seconds the water rushed in-board in a torrent, he
succeeded in steering us sharply round to the leeward
side of the rock, where the water was comparatively
calm, and the force of the breeze broken.

" Out your oars now, lads ; that's well done.
Give way ! " We obeyed instantly. The oars splashed
into the waves together. One good hearty pull, and

THE CORAL ISLAND. 215

we were floating in a oomparativelj calm creek that
was so narrow as to be barely able to admit onr boat.
Here we were in perfbct sa&tji and, as we leaped on
shore and fieustened our cable to the rocks, I thanked
God in my heart for onr deliverance £rom so great
danger. But, although I have said we were now in
safety, I suspect that few of my readers would have
envied our position. It is true we had no lack of
food, but we were drenched to the skin; the sea was
foaming round us and the spray flying over our heads,
so that we were completely enveloped, as it were, in
water ; the spot on which we had landed was not
more than twelve yards in diameter, and from thia
spot we could not move without the risk of being
swept away by the storm. At the upper end of the
creek was a small hollow or cave in the rock, which
sheltered us from the fury of the winds and waves;
and as the rock extended in a sort of ledge over our
heads, it prevented the spray from feJHng upon us.

" Why,'' said Peterkin, beginning to feel cheery
again, "it seems to me that we have got into a
mermaid's cave, for there is nothing but water all
round us; and as for earth or sky, they are things of
the past."

Feterkin's idea was not inappropriate, for, what
with the sea roaring in white foam up to our very
ftet, and the spray flying in white sheets continually

216 THE CORAX ISLAND.

over our hei«ls, aad the water dripping heavUy from
the ledge above like a curtain in front of our cave,
it did seem to us very much more like being below
than above water.

** Now, boys/' cried Jack, " bestir yourselves, and
let's make ourselves comfortable. Toss out our pro-
visions, Peterkin ; and here, Balph, lend a hand to
haul up the boat. Look sharp/'

" Ay, ay, captain," we cried, as we hastened to
obey, much cheered by the hearty manner of our
comrade.

Fortunately the cave, although not very deep, was
quite dry, so that we succeeded in making ourselves
much more comfortable than could have been expected.
We landed our provisions, wrung the water out of
our garments, spread our sail below us for a carpet,
luxd, after having eaten a hearty meal, began to feel
quite cheerful But as night drew on, our spirits
sank again, for with the daylight all evidence of our
security vanished away. We could no longer see
the firm rock on which we lay. while we were Btun-
ned with the violence of the tempest that raged around
us. The night grew pitchy dark, as it advanced, so
that we could not see our hands when we held them
up before our eyes, and were obliged to feel each
other occasionally to make sure that we were safe,
for the storm at last became so terrible that it was

THE CORAL ISLAND. 217

difficult to make our voices audibla A alight varia-
tion of the wind, as we supposed, caused a few drops
of spray e^er and anon to blow into our fitces ; and
the eddy of the sea, in its mad boiling, washed up into
our little creek until it reached our feet and threat-
ened to tear away our boat. In order to prevent
this latter calamity, we hauled the boat fiarther up
and held the cable in our hand& Occasional flashes
of lightning shone with a ghastly glare through the
watery curtains aromd m, and lent additional horror
to the scene. Yet we longed for those dismal flashes,
for they were less appalling than the thick blackness
that succeeded them. Crashing peaJs of thunder seemed
to tear the skies in twain, and fell upon our ears
through the wild yelling of the hurricane as if it had
been but a gentle summer breeze; while the billows
burst upon the weather side of the island until we
fancied that the solid rock was giving way, and, in
our agony, we dung to the bare ground, expecting
every moment to be whirled away and whelmed in
the black howling sea ! Oh! it was a night of terrible
anxiety, and no one can conceive the feelings of in-
tense gratitude and relief with which we at last saw
the dawn of day break through the vapory mists
around us.

For three days and three nights we remained on
this rock, while the storm continued to rage with un-

218 THE CORAL ISLAND.

abated fury. On the morning of the fourth day it
suddenly ceased, and the wind fell altogether; but the
waves still ran so high that we did not dare to put
off in our boat During the greater part of this
period we scarcely slept above a few minutes at a time,
but on the third night we slept soundly and awoke
early on the fourth morning to find the sea very
much dowD. and the sun shining brightly again in the
dear blue sky.

It was with light hearts that we launched forth
once more in our little boat and steered away for our
island home, which, we were overjoyed to find, was
quite visible on the horizon, for we had feared that
we had been blown out of sight of it altogether. As
it was a dead calm we had to row during the greater
part of the day ; but towards the afternoon a &xr
breeze sprang up, which enabled us to hoist our sail
We soon passed Penguin Island, and the other island
which we had failed to reach on the day the storm
commenced; but as we had still enough of provisions,
and were anxious to get home, we did not land, to
the great disappointment of Feterkin, who seemed to
entertain quite an afiection for the penguins.

Although the breeze was pretty fresh for several
hours, we did not reach the outer reef of our island
tiU night-fall, and before we had sailed more than a
hundred yards into the lagoon, the wind died away

THE COBAL ISLAin>. 219

altogether^ so that we had to take to om* oars again.
It was late and the moon 'and stars were shining
brightly when we arrived opposite the bower and
leaped upon the strand So glad were we to be safe
back again on our beloved island, that we scarcely took
time to drag the boat a short way up the beach, and
then ran up to see that all was right at the bower.
I must confess^ however, that my joy was mingled
with a vague sort of fear lest our home had been
visited and destroyed during our absence ; but on
reaching it we found everything just as it had been
left, and the poor black cat curled up, sound asleep,
on the coral table in front of om* humble dwelling.

220 THB COKAL ISLAMI?.

CHAPTER XIX.

Shoemaking— The even tenor of oar way saddenly interrnpted— An nnezpectod
visit and an appalling l>attle>-We all become warrioni, and Jack proyes hinuell
to be a hero.

Foil many months after this we continued to live on
our island in uninterrupted harmony and happiness.
Sometimes we went out a-fishing in the lagoon, and
sometimes went a-hunting in the woods, or ascended
to the mountain top, by way of variety, although
Peterkdn always asserted that we went for the pur-
pose of hailing any ship that might chance to heave
in sight. But I am certain that none of us wished
to be delivered from our captivity, for we were ex-
tremely happy, and Feterkin used to say that as we
were very young we should not feel the loss of a year
or two. Peterkdn, as I have said before, was thirteen
years of age. Jack eighteen, and I fifteen. But Jack
was very tall, strong, and manly for his age, and
might easily have been mistaken for twenty.

The climate was so beautiful that it seemed to be
a perpetual summer, aad aa many of the fruit-treeB
continued to bear fruit and blossom aJl the year
round, we never wanted for a plentifiil supply of food.
The hogs, too, seemed rather to increase than diminish,
although Peterkin was very frequent in his attacks

THB CORAL ISLAITD. 221

on them with his spear. If at any time we failed in
finding a drove, we had only to pay a visit to the
plmn-tree before mentioned, where we always found
a large fiainily of them asleep under its branches.

We employed ourselves very busily during this
time in making various garments of cocoa-nut doth,
as those with which we had landed were beginning
to be very ragged. Peterkin also succeeded in making
excellent shoes out of the skin of the old hog, in the
following manner : — He first cut a piece of the hide,
of an oblong form, a few inches longer than his foot.
This he soaked in water, and, while it was wet, he
sewed up one end of it, so as to form a rough imitar
tion of that part of the heel of a shoe where the seam
is. This done, he bored a row of holes all roimd the
edge of the piece of skin, through which a tough line
was passed. Into the sewed-up part of this shoe he
thrust his heel, then, drawing the string tight, the
edges rose up and overlapped his foot all round. It
is true there were a great many ill-looking puckers
in these shoes, but we found them very serviceable
notwithstanding, and Jack came at last to prefer
them to his long boots. We also made various other
useful articles, which added to our comfort, and once
or twice spoke of building us a house, but we had so
great an affection for the bower, and, withal, found
it so serviceable, that we determined not to leave it,

I

222 THE CORAL ISLAhO.

nor to attempt the building of a house, which, in
such a climate, might turn out to be rather disagree-
able than useful

We often examined the pistol that we had found
m the house on the other side of the island, and
Peterkin wished much that we had powder and shot,
as it would render pig-kiUing much easier ; but, after
all, we had become so expert in the use of our sling
and bow and spear, that we were independent of
more deadly weapons.

Diving in the Water Garden also continued to
afford us as much pleasure as ever; and Peterkin
began to be a little more expert in the water from
constant practice. As for Jack and I, we began
to feel as if water were our native element, and
revelled in it with so much confidence and comfort
that Peterkin said he feared we would turn into fish
some day, and swim off and leave him; adding, that he
had been for a long time observing that Jack was
becoming more and nxore like a shark every day.
Whereupon Jack remarked, that if he, Peterkin, were
changed into a fish, he would certainly turn into
nothing better or bigger than a shrimp. Poor Peterkin
did not envy us our delightful excursions under water,
except, indeed, when Jack would dive down to the
bottom of the Water Garden, sit down on a rock and
look up and make faces at him. Peterkin did feel

THE CORAIi ISLAND. 223

envious tben, and often said he would give anything
to be able to do that. I was much amused when
Peterkin said this ; for if he could only have sees
his own face when he happened to take a short dive,
he would have seen that Jack's was £aT surpassed by
it. The great difference being, however, that Jack
made faces on purpose — ^Peterkin couldn't help it !

Now, while we were engaged with these occupa-
tions and amusements, an event occurred one day
which was as unexpected as it was exceedingly
alarming and very horrible.

Jack and I were sitting, as we were often wont to
do, on the rocks at Spouting Cliff, and Peterkin was
wringing the water from his garments, having* re-
cently fallen by accident into the sea, — ^a thing he
was constantly doing, — ^when our attention was sud-
denly arrested by two objects which appeared on the
horizon.

" What are yon, think you ? " I said, addressiug
Jack.

" I can't imagine," answered he ; " I've noticed
them for some time, and fancied they were black
sea-gulls, but the more I look at them the more I
feel convinced they are much larger than guUs."

" They seem to be coming towards us," said I.

** Hallo ! what's wrong ?" inquired Peterkin, com-
ing up.

224 THE CORAL ISLAND.

** Look there," said Jack.

*' Whales I*' cried Peterkin, shading his eyes with
his hand. • '' No ! eh ! cam, they be boats, Jack ?"

Our hearts beat with excitement at the very
thought of seeing human faces again.

" I think you are about right, Peterkin ; — ^but they
seem to me to move strangely for boats," said Jack,
in a low tone, as if he were talking to himself.

I noticed that a shade of anxiety crossed Jack's
countenance as he gazed long and intently at the two
objects, which were now nearing us fisust. At last he
sprang to his feet. " They are canoes, Balph ! whe-
ther war-canoes or not I cannot tell, but this I
know, that all the natives of the South Sea Islands
are fierce connibals, and they have little respect for
strangers. We must hide if they land here, which I
earnestly hope they wiU not do."

I was greatly alarmed at Jack's speech, but I
confess I thought less of what he said than of the
earnest, anxious manner in which he said it, and it
was with very uncomfortable feelings that Peterkin
and I followed him quickly into the woods.

" How unfortunate,'' said I, as we gained the
shelter of the bushes, "that we have foigotten our

arma"

" It matters not," said Jack ; " here are dubs
enough and to spare." As he spoke, he laid his hand

THE COBAL ISLAND. 225

on a bundle of stout poles of various sizes, which
Peterkin's ever-busy hands had formed, during our
frequent visits to the cliff, for no other purpose, ap-
parently, than that of having something to do.

We each selected a stout dub according to our
several tastes, and lay down behind a rock, whence
we could see the canoes approach, without ourselves
being seen. At first we made an occasional remark
on their appearance, but after they entered the lagoon,
and drew near the beach, we ceased to speak, and
gazed with intense interest at the scene before us.

We now observed that the foremost canoe was
being chaaed by the other, aad that it contained a fe..
women and children, as well as men, — ^perhaps forty
souls altogether ; while the canoe which pursued it
contained only men. They seemed to be about the
same in number, but were better armed, and had the
appearance of being a war party. Both crews were
paddling with all their might, and it seemed as if
the pursuers exerted themselves to overtake the
fugitives ere they could land. In this, however,
they failed. The foremost canoe made for the beach
close beneath the rocks behind which we were con-
cealed. Their short paddles flashed like meteors in
the water, and sent up a constant shower of spray.
The foam curled from the prow, and the eyes of the

rowers glistened in their black faces as they strained

15

226 THE CORAX ISLAND.

every muscle of their naked bodies ; nor did they
relax their efforts till the canoe struck the beach with
a violent shock ; then, with a shout of defiance, the
whole party sprang, as if by magic, from the canoe
to the shore. Three women, two of whom carried
in&nts in their arms, rushed into the woods ; and the
men crowded to the water's edge, with stones in
their hands, spears levelled, and dubs brandished, to
resist the landing of their enemies.

The distance between the two canoes had been
about half a mile, and, at the great speed they were
going, this was soon passed As the pursuers neared
the shore, no sign of fear or hesitation was notice-
able. On they came like a wild charger, — ^received
but recked not of a shower of stones. The canoe
struck, and, with a yell that seemed to issue from
the throats of incarnate fiends, they leaped into the
water, and drove their enemies up the beach.

The battle that immediately ensued was frightful
to behold. Most of the men wielded clubs of enor-
mous size and curious diapes, with which they dashed
out each other's brains. As they were almost
entirely naked, and had to bound, stoop, leap, and
run, in their terrible hand-to-hand encounters, they
looked more like demons than human beings. I felt
my heart grow sick at the sight of this bloody battle,
and would &in have turned away, but a species of

THE COBAX I8LAKD. 227

fiiscination seemed to hold me down and glue my
eyes upon the combatants. I observed that the
attacking party was led by a most extraordinary
being, who, from his size and peculiarity, I concluded
was a chief. His hair was frizzed out to an enor-
mous extent, so that it resembled a large turban. It
was of a lighi>.yeUow hue, which surprised me much,
for the man's body was as black as coal, and I felt
convinced that the hair must have been dyed. He
was tattooed from head to foot; and his face, besides
being tattooed, was besmeared with red paint, and
streaked with white. Altogether, with his yellow
turban-like hair, his Herculean black frame, his
glittering eyes and white teeth, he seemed the most
terrible monster I ever beheld. He was very active
in the fight, and had already killed four men.

Suddenly the yellow-haired chief was attacked by
. .^o ,1 J^ng »d Urge „ hta^. He
flourished a heavy club something like an eagle's beak
at the point For a second or two these giants eyed
each other warily, moving round and round, as if to
catch each other at a disadvantage, but seeing that
nothing was to be gained by this caution, and that
the loss of time might effectually turn the tide of
battle either way, they apparently made up their
minds to attack at the same instant, for, with a wild
shout and simultaneous spring, they swung their

228 THE COaAL ISLAND.

heavy dubs, which met with a loud report. Sud-
denly the yellow-haired savage tripped, his enemy
sprang forward, the ponderous dub was swung, but
it did not descend, for at that moment the savage
was felled to the ground by a stone ttom the hand
of one who had witnessed his chief's danger. This
was the turning-point in the battle. The savages
who landed first turned and fled towards the bush,
on seeing the &31 of their chief. But not one escaped.
They were all overtaken and felled to the earth. I
saw, however, that they were not all killed. Indeed,
fcheir enemies, now that they were conquered, seemed
anxious to take them alive ; and they succeeded in
securing fifteen, whom they bound hand and foot with
cords, and, carrying them up into the woods» laid them
down among the bushes. Here they left them, for
what purpose I knew not, and returned to the scene
of the late battle, where the remnant of the party
were bathing their wounds.

Out of the forty blacks that composed the attack-
ing party, only twenty-eight remained alive, two of
whom were sent into the bush to hunt for the women
and children. Of the other party, as I have said,
only fifteen survived, and these were lying bound
and helpless on the grass.

Jack and Feterkin and I now looked at each
other, and whispered our fears that the savages might

THS COBAL I8LAin>. 229

damber up the rocks to search for fresh water, and
BO discover our place of concealment ; but we were so
much interested in watching their movements that
we agreed to remain where we were ; and, indeed,
we could not easily have risen without exposing our-
selves to detectioa One of the savages now went
up to the wood and soon returned with a bundle of
fire-wood, and we were not a Uttle surprised to see
him set fire to it by the very same means used by
Jack the time we made our first fire, — ^namely, with
the bow and drill When the fire was kindled, two
of the party went again to the woods and returned
with one of the bound men. A dreadful feeling of
horror crept over my heart, as the thought flashed
upon me that they were going to bum their enemies.
As they bore him to the fibre my feelings almost over-
powered me. I gasped for breath, and seizing my
dub, endeavoured to spring to my feet ; but Jack's
powerful arm pinned me to the earth. Next moment
one of the savages raised his dub, and fractured the
wretched creature's skuH He must have died instantly,
and, strange though it may seem, I confess to a feel-
ing of rdief when the deed was done, because I now
knew that the poor savage could not be burned alive.
Scarcely had his limbs ceased to quiver when the
monsters cut slices of flesh ftom his body, and, after
roasting them slightly over the fire, devoured them.

230 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Suddenly there arose a cry from the woods, and,
in a few seconds, the two savages hastened towards
the fire dragging the three women and their two
infants along with them. One of those women was
mtich younger than her companions, and we were
struck with the modesty of her demeanour and the
gentle expression of her face, which, although she
had the fiattish nose and thick lips of the others, was
of a light-brown colour, and we conjectured that she
must be of a different raca She and her companions
wore short petticoats and a kind of tippet on their
shoulders. Their hair was jet black, but instead of
being long, was short and curly, — ^though not woolly
— somewhat like the hair of a young boy. While
we gazed with iaterest and some anxiety at these
poor creatures, the big chief advanced to one of
the elder females and laid his hand upon the child.
But the mother shrank from him, oud clasping the
little one to her bosom, uttered a wail of fear. With
a savage laugh, the chief tore the child from her
arms and tossed it into the sea. A low groan burst
from Jack's lips as we witnessed this atrocious act
and heard the mother's shriek, as she feU insensible
on the sand. The rippling waves rolled the child on
the beach, as if they refased to be a party in such a
foul murder, and we could observe that the little one
still lived.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 231

The young girl was now brought forward, and the
chief addressed her ; but although we heard his voice,
and even the words distinctly, of course we could not
understand what he said. The girl made no answer
to his fierce questions, and we saw by the way in
which he pointed to the fire that he threatened her
Ufe.

" Peterkin," said Jack in a hoarse whisper, " have
you got your knife V

"Yes," replied Peterkin, whose face was pale as
death.

" That will do. Listen to me, and do my bidding
quick. Here is the small knife, Balph. Fly both
of you through the bush, cut the cords that bind the
prisoners and set them free. There ! quick, ere it be
too late. Jack sprang up, and seized a heavy but
short bludgeon, while his strong frame trembled with
emotion, and large drops roUed down his forehead.

At this moment the man who had butchered the
savage a few minutes before advanced towards the
girl with his heavy dub. Jack uttered a yell that
rang like a death-shriek among the rocka With one
bound he leaped over a precipice full fifteen feet high,
and, before the savages had recovered from their sur-
prise, was in the midst of them ; while Peterkin and
I dashed through the bushes towards the prisoners.
With one blow of his staff Jack felled the man with

232 THB COKAL ISLAKD.

the dub, then, tuming round with a look of fiaiy, he
rushed upon the big chief with the yellow hair. Had
the blow which Jack aimed at his head taken effect^
the huge savage would have needed no second stroke ;
but he was agile as a cat, and avoided it by springing
to one side, while, at the same time, he swung his
ponderous dub at the head of his foa It was now
Jack's turn to leap aside, and weU was it for him
that the first outburst of his blind fury was over,
else he had become an easy prey to his gigantic an-
tagonist ; but Jack was cool now. He darted his
blows rapidly and weU, and the superiority of his
light weapon was strikingly proved in this combat,
for while he could easily evade the blows of the
chief's heavy dub, the chief could not so easily evade
those of his light one. Nevertheless, so quick was
he, and so frightfully did he fling about the mighty
weapon, that, although Jack struck him almost every
blow, the strokes had to be delivered so quickly that
they wanted force to be very effectual

It was lucky for Jack that the other savages con-
sidered the success of their chief in this encounter to
be so certain that they re&ained from interfering.
Had they doubted it, they would have probably
ended the matter at once by felling him. But they
contented themsdves with awaitiug the issue.

The force which the chief expended in wielding

THB CORAL ISLAKD. 233

his dub now began to be apparent. His movements
became slower, his breath hissed through his clenched
teeth, and the surprised savages drew nearer in order
to render assistance. Jack observed this movement
He felt that his fate was sealed, and resolved to cast
his life upon the next blow. The chiefs club was
again about to descend on his head He might have
evaded it easily, but instead of doing so, he suddenly
shortened his grasp of his own dub, rushed in under
the blow, struck his adversary right between the
eyes with all his force and feU to the earth, crushed
beneath the sensdess body of the diief. A dozen
dubs flew high in air ready to descend on the head
of Jack, but they hesitated a moment, for the massive
body of the chief completely covered him. That
moment saved his life. Ere the savages could tear
the chief's body away, seven of their number fell
prostrate beneath the dubs of the prisoners whom
Feterkin and I had set free, and two others fell
under our own hand. We could never have ac-
complished this had not our enemies been so engrossed
with the fight between Jack and their chief that they
had fedled to observe us until we were upon them.
They still out-numbered our party by three, but we
were flushed with victory while they were taken by
surprise and dispirited by the fall of their chief
Moreover, they were awe-struck by the sweeping fury

384 THE COKAL ISLAND.

of Jack, who seemed to have lost his senses altogether,
and had no sooner shaken himself &ee of the
chip's body than he rushed into the midst of
them, and in three blows equalized our numbers,
Peterkin and I flew to the rescue, the savages fol-
lowed us, and, in less than ten minutes, the whole of
our opponents were knocked down or made prisoners,
bound hand and foot, and extended side by side upon
the sea shore.

THB OOBAL ISLAin>. 235

CHAPTER XX.

Intercourse wifh the savages — Cannibalism prevented— The daln are bailed and the
enrvlTors depart, leaying ns again alone on our Coral Island.

After the battle was over, the savages crowded
round us and gazed at us in surprise, while they con-
tinued to pour upon us a flood of questions, which,
being wholly unintelligible, of course we could not
answer. However, by way of putting an end to it,
Jack took the chief (who had recovered from the
effects of his wound) by the hand and shook it
warmly. No sooner did the blacks see that this
was meant to express good-will than they shook
hands with us aJl round After this ceremony wa«
gone through Jack went up to the girl, who had
never once moved from the rock where she had been
left, but had continued an eager spectator of all that
had passed. He made signs to her to follow him,
and then, taking the chief by the hand, was about to
conduct him to the bower when his eye feU on the
poor infant which had been thrown into the sea and
was still lying on the shore. Dropping the chiefs
hand he hastened towards it, and, to his great joy,
found it to be still alive. We also foimd that the
mother was beginning to recover slowly.

" Here, get out o' the way," said Jack, pushing ua

286 THE CORAL ISLAIO).

aside, as we stooped over the poor woman and endea-
voured to restore her, " 111 soon bring her round.^
So saying, he placed tiie infant on her bosom and laid
its warm cheek on hers. The effect was wonderful.
The woman opened her eyes, felt the child, looked at
it, and with a cry of joy clasped it in her arms, at
the same time endeavouring to rise, for the purpose,
apparently, of rushing into the woods.

"There, that's all right," said Jack, once more
taking the chief by the hand. Now Ralph and
Feterkin, make the women and these fellows follow
me to the bower. Well entertain them as hospitably

as we can.'*

In a few minutes the savages were all seated on
the ground in front of the bower making a hearty
meal off a cold roast pig, several ducks> and a variety
of cold fish, together with an unlimited supply of
cocoa-nuts, bread-fruits, yams, taro, and plums ; with all
of which they seemed to be quite familiar and per-
fectly satisfied.

Meanwhile, we three being thoroughly knocked up
with our day's work, took a good draught of cocoa-
nut lemonade, and throwing ourselves on our beds
fell fiast asleep. The savages it seems followed our
example, and in half-an-hour the whole camp was
buried in repose.

How long we slept I cannot tell, but this I know.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 287

thai when we lay down the sun was setting and
when we awoke it was high in the heavens. I awoke
Jack, who started up in surprise, being unable at
first to comprehend our situation. **Now, then/'
said he, springing up, '^et's see after breakfast.
Hallo ! Peterkin, lazy fellow, how long do you mean
to Ue there ?"

Peterkin yawned heavily. " Well ! *' said he, open-
ing his eyes and looking up after some trouble, '' if
it isn't to-morrow morning, and me thinking it was
to-day all this time. Hallo ! Venus, where did you
come from ? you seem tolerably at home, any how.
Bah ! might as well speak to the cat as to you — ^bet-
ter, in fact, for it understands me, and you don't.''

This remark was called forth by the sight of one of
the elderly females, who had seated herself on the
rock in front of the bower, and, having placed her
child at her feet, was busily engaged in devouring the
remains of a roast pig.

By this time the natives outside were all astir, and
breakfast in an advanced state of preparation. Dur-
ing the course of it we made sundry attempts to
converse with the natives by signs, but without effect
At last we hit upon a plan of discovering their namea
Jack pointed to his breast and said "Jack," very
distinctly ; then he pointed to Peterkin and to me,
repeating our names at the same time. Then he

288 THE CORAL ISLAHB.

pointed to himself* again, and said " Jack," and lay-
ing his finger on the breast of the chie^ looked
inquiringly into his face. The chief instantly under-
stood him and said " Tararo," twice, distinctly. Jack
repeated it after him, and the chief, nodding his head
approvingly, said " Chuck." On hearing which,
Peterkin exploded with laughter ; but Jack turned
and with a frown rebuked him, saying, " I must look
even more indignantly at you than I feel, Peterkin,
you rascal, for these fellows don't like to be laughed
at." Then turning towards the youngest of the
women, who was seated at the door of the bower,
he pointed to her; whereupon the chief said, "Avatea;"
and pointing towards the sun, raised his finger slowly
towards the zenith, where it remained steadily for a
minute or two.

" What can that mean, I wonder," said Jack, look-
ing puzzled.

" Perhaps," said Peterkin, " the chief means she is
an angel come down to stay here for a while. If so,
she's an imcommonly black one !"

We did not feel quite satisfied with this explana-
tion, so Jack went up to her and said, '* Avatea."
The woman smiled sadly, and nodded her head, at
the same time pointing to her breast and then to the
sun, in the same manner as the chief had dona We
were much puzzJed to know what this could signify.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 239

but SB there was no way of solving our difficulty we
were obliged to rest content.

Jack now made signs to the natives to follow him,
and, taking up his axe, he led them to the place
where the battle had been fought. Here we found
the prisoners, who had passed the night on the beach,
having been totally forgotten by us, as our minds
had been full of our guests, and were ultimately
overcome by sleep. They did not seem the worse
for their exposure, however, as we judged by the
hearty appetite with which they devoured the break-
fast that was soon after given to them. Jack then
began to dig a hole in the sand, and, after working
a few seconds, he pointed to it and to the dead bodies
that lay exposed on the beach. The natives imme-
diately perceived what he wanted, and, running for
their paddles, dug a hole in the course of half an
hour that was quite large enough to contain all the
bodies of the slain. When it was finished they tossed
their dead enemies into it with so much indifference
that we felt assured they would not have put them-
selves to this trouble had we not asked them to do
so. The body of the yellow-haired chief was the
last thrown in. This wretched man would have
recovered from the blow with which Jack felled him,
and, indeed, he did endeavour to rise during the
melee that followed his fall, but one of his enemies,

240 THE CORAI. ISLAND.

happening to notice the action, dealt him a blow with
his dub that killed him on the spot.

While they were about to throw the sand over
this chief, one of the savages stooped over him, and
with a knife, made apparently of stone, cut a large
slice of flesh from his thigh. We knew at once that
he intended to make use of this for food, and could
not repress a cry of horror and disgust.

" Come, come, you blackguard," cried Jack, start-
ing up and seizing the man by the arm, " pitch that
into the hole. Do you hear?"

The savage of course did not understand the com-
mand, but he perfectly imderstood the look of disgust
with which Jack regarded the flesh, imd his fierce ga«
as he pointed towards the hole. Nevertheless he did
not obey. Jack instantly turned to Tararo and made
signs to him to enforce obedience. The chief seemed
to understand the appeal, for he stepped forward,
raised his club, and was on the point of dafthing out
the brains of his offending subject, when Jack sprang
forward and caught his uplifted arm

" Stop ! " he shouted, " you blockhead, I don't
want you to kill the man." He then pointed again
to the flesh and to the hola The chief uttered a few
words, which had the desired effect ; for the man
threw the flesh into the hole, which was immediately
filled up. This man was of a morose, sulky disposi-

THE CORAL ISLAND. 241

tion, and, during all the time he remained on the
island, regarded us, especially Jack, with a scowling
visage. His name, we found, was Mahine.

The next three or four days were spent by the
savages in mending their canoe, which had been
damaged by the violent shock it had sustained on
striking the shora This canoe was a very curious
structure. It was about thirty feet long, and had a
high towering stem. The timbers, of which it was
partly composed, were £a£itened much in the same
way as those of our little boat were put together ;
but the part that seemed most curious to us was a
sort of out-rigger, or long plank, which was attached
to the body of the canoe by means of two stout cross
beams. These beams kept the plank parallel with
the canoe, but not in contact with it, for it floated
in the water with an open space between ; thus
forming a sort of double canoe. This we found was
intended to prevent the upsetting of the canoe, which
was so narrow that it could not have maintained an
upright position without the out-rigger. We could
not help wondering both at the ingenuity and the
clumsiness of this contrivance.

When the canoe was ready, we assisted the natives
to carry the prisoners into it, and helped them to
load it with provisions and fruii Feterkin also
went to the plum-tree for the purpose of making a

16

242 THE COBAL ISLAND.

special onslaught upon the hogs, and killed no less
than six of them. These we baked and presented to
our friends on the day of their departure. On that
day Tararo made a great many energetic signs to us,
which, after much consideration, we came to under-
stand were proposals that we should go away with
him to his island ; but, having no desire to do so,
we shook our heads very decidedly. However, we
consoled him by presenting him with our rusty axe,
which we thought we could spare, having the excel-
lent one which had been so providentially washed
ashore to us the day we were wrecked. We also
gave him a piece of wood with our names carved on
it, and a piece of string to hang it round his neck as
an ornament.

In a few minutes more we were all assembled on
the beach. Being unable to speak to the savages,
we went through the ceremony of shaking hands,
and expected they would depart ; but, before doing
so, Tararo went up to Jack and rubbed noses with
him, after which he did the same with Peterkin and
me ! Seeing that this was their mode of salutation,
we determined to conform to their custom, so we
rubbed noses heartily with the whole party, women
and all ! The only disagreeable part of the process
was, when we came to rub noses with Mahine, and
Peterkin afterwards said, that when he saw his wolfish

THS CORAL ISLAIVD. 243

eyes glaring so dose to his face, he felt much more
inclined to hang than to rvJ) his nose. Avatea was the
last to take leave of us, and we experienced a feeling
of real sorrow when she approached to bid us fare-
well Besides her modest air and gentle manners,
she was the only one of the party who exhibited the
smallest *sign of regret at parting from us. Going
up to Jack, she put out her flat little nose to be
rubbed, and thereafter paid the same compliment to
Peterkin and me.

An hour later the canoe was out of sight, and we,
with an indefinable feeling of sadness creeping round
our hearts, were seated in silence beneath the shadow
of our bower, meditating on the wonderful events of
the last few days.

244 THE CORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXL

Sagadoas and moral remarks In regard to life— A sdl !— An unexpected salnte— The
end of the blade cat— A terrlUe dive— An incaationa proceeding and a firii^tfkd
cataatrophe.

Life is a strange compound. Feterkin used to say
of it, that it beat a diUggist's shop all to sticks ; for,
whereas the first is a compound of good and bad, the
other is a horrible compound of all that is utterly
detestable. And indeed the more I consider it the
more I am struck with the strange mixture of good
and evil that exists not only in the material earth
but in our own natures. In our own Coral Island
we had experienced every variety of good that a
bountiful Creator could heap on us. Yet on the
night of the storm we had seen how almost, in our
case, — ^and altogether, no doubt, in the case of others
less fortunate — all this good might be swept away
for ever. We had seen the rich fruit-trees waving
in the soft air, the tender herbs shooting upwards
under the benign influence of the bright sun ; and,
the next day, we had seen these good and beautiful
trees- and plants uprooted by the hurricane, crushed
and hurled to the ground in destructive devastation.
We had lived for many months in a dime for the
most ipart so beautiful, that we had often wondered

THE OORAL ISLAND. 245

whether Adam and Eve had found Eden more sweet ;
and we had seen the quiet solitudes of our paradise
suddenly broken in upon by ferocious savages^ and
the white sands stained with blood and strewed with
lifeless forms; yet^ among these cannibals^ we had
seen many symptoms of a kindly nature. I pondered
these things much, and, while I considered them,
there recurred to my memory those words which I
had read in my Bible, — the works of God are won-
derful, and his ways past finding out.

After these poor savages had left us, we used to hold
long and frequent conversations about them, and I
noticed that Feterkin's manner was now much altered.
He did not, indeed, jest less heartily than before, but
he did so less frequently, and often there was a tone
of deep seriousness in his manner, if not in his words,
which made him seem to Jack and me as if he had
grown two years older within a few days. But
indeed I was not surprised at this, when I reflected
on the awful realities which we had witnessed so
lately. We could by no means shake off a tendency
to gloom for several weeks afterwards ; but, as time
wore away, our usual good spirits returned somewhat,
and we began to think of the visit of the savages
with feelings akin to those with which we recall a
terrible dream.
One day we were all enjoying ourselves in the Water

246 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Qarden, preparatory to going on a fishing excorsion ;
for Peterkin had kept us in such constant supply of
hogs that we had become quite tired of pork, and
desired a change. Peterkin was sunning himself on
the ledge of rock, while we were creeping among
the rocks below. Happening to look up, I observed
Peterkin cutting the most extraordinary capers and
making violent gesticulations for us to come up ; so I
gave Jack a push, and rose immediately.

'' A sail ! a sail ! Ralph, look! Jack, away on the
horizon there, just over the entrance to the lagoon !"
cried Peterkin, as we scrambled up the rocks.

" So it is, and a schooner, too!'' said Jack, as he
proceeded hastily to dress.

Our hearts were thrown into a terrible flutter by
this discovery, for if it should touch at our island we
had no doubt the captain would be happy to give us
a passage to some of the civilized islands, where we
could find a ship sailing for England, or some other
part of Europe. Home, with all its associations,
rushed in upon my heart like a flood, and, much
though I loved the Coral Island and the bower which
had now been our home so long, I felt that I could
have quitted all at that moment without a sigh.
With joyful anticipations we hastened to the highest
point of rock near our dwelling, and awaited the
arrival of the vessel, for we now perceived that she

TSE COBAL ISLAND. 247

was making straight for the island^ under a steady
breeze.

In less than an hour she was dose to the reef,
where she rounded to, and backed her topsails in
order to survey the coast. Seeing this, and fearing
that they might not perceive us, we all three waved
pieces of cocoarnut cloth in the air, and soon had the
satiB&cfcion of seeing them beginmng to lower a boat
and bustle about the decks as if they meant to land
Suddenly a flag was run up to the peak, a little doud
of white smoke rose &om the schooner's side, and,
before we could guess their intentions, a cannonnshot
came crashing through the bushes, carried away several
cocoa-nut trees in its pa^ge. and burst in atoms
against the diff a few yards below the spot on which
we stood.

With feelings of terror we now observed that the
flag at the schooner's peak was black, with a Death's
head and cross bones upon it. As we gazed at each
other in blank amazement, the word " pirate" escaped
our lips simultaneously.

" What is to be done ?" cried Peterkin, as we ob-
served a boat shoot &om the vessel's side, and make
for the entrance of the reef. " K they take us off
the island, it will either be to throw us overboard
for sport, or to make pirates of us."

I did not reply, but looked at Jack, as being our

248 * THS OORAL ISLAND.

only resource in this emergency. He stood with
folded arms^ and his eyes fixed with a grave, anxious
expression on the ground. " There is but one hope,*
said he, turning with a sad expression of countenance
to Peterkin ; " perhaps, after all, we may not have
to resort to it K these villains are anxious to take
us, they will soon overrun the whole island. But
come, follow me."

Stopping abruptly in his speech. Jack bounded
into the woods, and led us by a circuitous route to
Spouting Cliff. Here he halted, and, advancing cau-
tiously to the rocks, glanced over their edge. We
were soon by his side, and saw the boat, which was
crowded with armed men, just touching the shore.
In an instant the crew landed, formed line, and
rushed up to our bower.

In a few seconds we saw them hunying back to
the boat, one of them swinging the poor cat round
his head by the tail On reaching the water's edge,
he tossed it far into the sea, and joined his com-
panions, who appeared to be holding a hasty coundl

" You see what we may expect," said Jack bitterly.
" The man who will wantonly kill a poor brute
for sport will think little of murdering a fellow-
creature. Now, boys, we have but one chance left,
— the Diamond Cave."

" The Diamond Cave ! " cried Peterkin, " then my

TU£ CORAL ISLAND. 249

chance is a poor one, for I could not dive into it if
all the pirates on the Pacific were at my heels."

" Nay, but," said I, " we will take you down,
Peterkin, if you will only trust us."

As I spoke, we observed the pirates scatter over
the beach, and radiate, as if &om a centre, towards
the woods and along shore.

"Now, Peterkin," said Jack, in a solemn tone,
" you must make up your mind to do it, or we must
make up our minds to die in your company."

** Oh, Jack, my dear friend," cried Peterkin, turn-
ing pale, " leave me ; I don't believe they'U tibink it
worth while to kiU me. Go, you and Ralph, and
dive into the cave."

" That will not I," answered Jack quietly, while
he picked up a stout cudgel from the ground. " So
now, Ralph, we must prepare to meet these fellows.
Their motto is, ' No quarter.' If we can manage to
floor those coming in this direction, we may escape
into the woods for a while."

" There are five of them," said I ; "we have no
chance."

" Come, then," cried Peterkin, starting up, and
grasping Jack convulsively by the arm, " let us dive ;
I wiU go."

Those who are not naturally expert in the water
know well the feelings of horror tJiat overwhelm

250 THE COBAL ISLAND.

them, when in it, at the bare idea of being held
down, even for a few seconds, — ^that spasmodic, invo-
limtatT recoil from compulsoiy immersion which has
no Section whatever with cowaxdice; and they
will understand the amount of resolution that it re-
quired in Feterkin to allow himself to be dragged
down to a depth of ten feet, and then, through a
narrow tunnel, into an almost pitch-dark cavern.
But there was no alternative. The pirates had al-
ready caught sight of us, and were now within a
short distance of the rocka

Jack and I seized Feterkin by the arm&

" Now, keep quite still, no struggling," said Jack,
" or we are lost.*'

Feterkin made no reply, but the stem gravity of
his marble features, and the tension of his muscles,
satisfied us that he had folly made up his mind to
go through with it. Just as the pirates gained the
foot of the rocks, which hid us for a moment from
their view, we bent over the sea, and plunged down
together head foremost. Feterkin behaved like a
hero. He floated passively between us like a log of
wood, and we passed the tunnel and rose into the
cave in a shorter space of time than I had ever done
it before.

Feterkin drew a long, deep breath on reaching the
surface ; and in a few seconds we were all standing

THE CORAL ISLAND. 25 i

on the ledge of rock in safety. Jack now searched
for the tinder and torch, which always lay in the
cave. He soon found them, and, lighting the torch,
revealed to Peterkin's wondering gaze the marvels
of the place. But we were too wet to waste much
time in looking about us. Our first care was to
take off our clothes, and wrin£c them as dry as we
could This done, we p3ed to exa^e into
the state of our larder, for, as Jack truly remarked,
there was no knowing how long the pirates might
remain on the island.

" Perhaps," said Peterkin, " they may take it into
their heads to stop here altogether, and so we shall
be buried alive in this place.''

" Don't you think, Peterkin, that it's the nearest
thing to being drowned alive that you ever felt?"
said Jack with a smile. " But I Ve no fear of that.
These villains never stay long on shore. The sea is
their home, so you may depend upon it that they
won't stay more than a day or two at the furthest.

We now began to make arrangements for spending
the night in the cavern. At various periods Jack
and I had conveyed cocoa nuts and other fruits, be-
sides rolls of cocoa-nut cloth, to this submarine cave,
partly for amusement, and partly from a feeling that
we might possibly be driven one day to take shelter
here &om the savages. Little did we imagine that

252 THB OORAL ISLAND.

the iii*st savages who would drive us into it would
be white savages, perhaps our own countrymen. We
found the cocoa-nuts in good condition, and the cooked
yams, but the bread-fruits were spoiled. We also
found the doth where we had left it ; and, on opening
it out, there proved to be sufficient to make a bed;
which was important, as the rock was damp. Having
collected it all together, we spread out our bed, placed
our torch in the midst of us, and ate our supper. It
was indeed a strange chamber to feast in ; and we
could not help remarking on the cold, ghastly ap-
pearance of the walls, and the black water at our
side, with the thick darkness beyond, and the sullen
sound of the drops that feU at long intervala from
the roof of the cavern into the still water ; and the
strong contrast between all this and our bed and
supper, which, with our faces, were lit up with the
deep red flame of the torch.

We sat long over our meal, talking together in
subdued voices, for we did not like the dismal echoes
that rang through the vault above when we happened
to raise them. At last the faint light that came
through the opening died away, warning us that it
was night and time for rest. We therefore put out
our torch and lay down to sleep.

On awaking, it was some time ere we could collect
our fiswulties so as to remember where we were, and

THE CORAL ISLAND. 258

we were in much uncertainty as to whether it was
early or late. We saw by the faint light that it was
day, but could not guess at the hour ; so Jack pro-
posed that he should dive out and reconnoitra

" No, Jack,'* said I, " do you rest here. You've
had enough to do during the last few daya Rest
yourself now, and take care of Peterkin, while I go
out to see what the pirates are about. I'll be very
careful not to expose myself, and I'U bring you word
again in a short time."

" Very well, Balph," answered Jack, " please your-
self, but don't be long ; and if you'U take my advice
you'U go in your clothes, for I would like to have
some &esh cocoa nuts, and climbing trees without
clothes is uncomfortable, to say the least of ii"

" The pirates will be sure to keep a sharp look-
out,'* said Peterkin, "so, pray, be careful"

" No fear," said I ; " good-bye."

" Good-bye," answered my comrades.

And while the words were yet sounding in my
ears, I plunged into the water, and in a few seconds
found myself in the open air. On rising, I was
careful to come up gently and to breathe softly, while
I kept dose in beside the rocks ; but, as I observed
no one near me, I crept slowly out, and ascended the
diff a step at a time, till I obtained a full view of
the shore. No pirates were to be seen, — even their

254 THE COBAL ISLAND.

boat was gone; but as it was possible they might
have hidden themselves, I did not venture too boldly
forward. Then it occurred to me to look out to sea,
when, to my surprise, I saw the pirate schooner sail-
ing away almost hull-down on the horizon ! On

*

seeing this I uttered a shout of joy. Then my first
impulse was to dive back to tell my companions the
good news ; but I checked myself, and ran to the top
of the diff, in order to make sure that the vessel I
saw was indeed the pirate schooner. I looked long
and anxiously af her; and. giving vent to a deep sigh
of relief, said aloud, " Yes, there she goes ; the vil-
lains have been baulked of their prey this time at
least."

" Not so sure of that I" said a deep voice at my
side; while, at the same moment, a heavy hand
grasped my shoulder, and held it as if in a vice.

THS CORAL ISLAND. 255

CHAPTER XXn.

I fiiU Into the hands of pirates— How they treated me, and what I said to them - The
result of the whole ending In a melancholy separation and in a most unexpected
gift

Mt heart seemed to leap into my throat at the
words ; and, turning round, I beheld a man of im-
mense stature and fieroe aspect regarding me with a
smile of contempt. He was a white man, — ^that is
to say, he was a man of Em*opean blood, though liis
face, from long exposure to the weather, was deeply
bronzed. His dress was that of a common seaman,
except that he had on a Greek skull-cap, and wore a
broad shawl of the richest silk round his waist. In
this shawl were placed two pair of pistols. and a
heavy cutlasa He wore a beard and moustache,
which, like the locks on his head, were short, curly,
and sprinkled with gray hairs.

" So, youngster," he said, with a Sardonic smUe,
while I felt his grasp tighten on my shoulder, " the
villains have been baulked of their prey, have they ?
We shall see, we shall see. Now, you whelp, look
yonder. As he spoke, the pirate uttered a shrill
whistle. ' In a second or two it was answered, and
the pirate-boat rowed round the point at the Water
Garden, and came rapidly towards us. " Now, go.

256 THE COBAL ISLAND.

make a fire on that point ; and hark'ee, youngster,
if you try to run away, I'll send a quick and sure
messenger aiter you," and he pointed significantly at
his pistols.

I obeyed in silence, and as I happened to have the
burning-glass in my pocket, a fire was speedily
kindled, and a thick smoke ascended into the air.
It had scarcely appeared for two minutes when the
boom of a gun rolled over the sea, and, looking up,
I saw that the schooner was shaking for the island
again. It now flashed across me that this was a rase
on the part of the pirates, and that they had sent
then* vessel away, knowing that it would lead us to
suppose that they had left altogether. But there was
no use of regret now, I was completely in theii
power, so I stood helplessly beside the pirate watch-
ing the crew of the boat as they landed on the beach.
For an instant I contemplated rushing over the diff
Into the sea, but this I saw I could not now accom-
plish, as some of the men were already between me
and the water.

There was a good deal of jesting at the success of
their scheme, as the crew ascended the riDcks and
addressed the man who had captured me by the title
of captain. They were a ferocious set of men, with
shaggy beards and scowling brows. All of them
were armed with cutlasses and pistols, and their cor-

THS CORAL ISLAND. 257

tiimes were, with trifling variations, similar to that
of the captain. As I looked from one to the other,
and observed the low, scowling brows, that never
unbent^ even when the men laughed, and the mean,
rascally expression that sat on each &ce, I felt that
my life hung by a hair.

" But where are the other cubs T* cried one of the
men, with an oath that made me shudder. ''I'll
swear to it there were three, at least, if not more."

" Tou hear what he says, whelp ; where are the
other dogs 1" said the captain.

" If you mean my companions," said I, in a low
voice, " I won't tell you."

A loud laugh burst from the crew at this answer.

The pirate captainlooked at me in surprise. Then
drawing a pistol from his belt, he cocked it and said,
"Now, youngster, listen to me. Tve no time to
waste here. If you don't tell me all you know, I'll
blow your brains out ! Where are your comrades ?"

For an Instant I hesitated, not knowing what to
do in this extremity. Suddenly a thought occurred
to me.

"Villain," said I, shaking my clenched fist in his
face, "to blow my brains out would make short
work of me, and be soon over. Death by drowning
is as sure, and the agony prolonged, yet, I tell you to
your face, if you were to toss me over yonder cliff

17

258 THE CORAL ISLAND.

into the sea, I would not tell you where my com-
panions are, and I dare you to try me !"

The pirate captain grew white with rage as I
spoke. " Say you so V* cried he, uttering a fierce
oath. " Here, lads, take him by the legs and heave
him in, — quick ! "

The men, who were utterly silenced with surprise
at my audacity, advanced and seized me, and, as they
carried me towards the diff, I congratulated myself
not a little on the success of my scheme, for I knew
that ODce in the water 1 should be safe, and could
rejoin Jack and Peterkin in the cave. But my
hopes were suddenly blasted by the captain crying
out, "Hold on, lads, hold on. We'll give him a
taste of the thumb-screws before throwing him to
the sharks. Away with him into the boat Look
alive ! the breeze in freshening. '^

The men instantly raised me shoulder high, and,
hurrying down the rocks, tossed me into the bot-
tom of the boat, where I lay for some time stunned
with the violence of my falL

On recovering sufficiently to raise myself on my
elbow, I perceived that we were already outside the
coral reef, and close alongside the schooner, which
was of small size and clipper built. I had only time
to observe this much, when I received a severe kick
on the side &om one of the men, who ordered me, in

THE COBAL ISLAND. 259

a rough voioe, to jump aboard. lUsing hastily I
clambered up the side. In a few minutes the boat
was hoisted on deck, the vessel's head put dose to
the wind» and the Coral Island dropped slowly astern
as we beat up against a head sea.

Immediately after coming aboard, the crew were
too busily engaged in working the ship and getting in
the boat to attend to me, so I remained leaning
against the bulwarks dose to the gangway, watching
their operations. I was surprised to find that there
were no guns or carronades of any kind in the vessel,
which had more of the appearance of a fast-sailing
trader than a pirate. But I was struck with the
neatness of everything. The brass work of the bin-
nade and about the tiller, as well as the copper be-
laying.pins, were as brightly polished as if they had

white, and smooth. The masts were dean-scraped
and varnished, except at the cross-trees and truck,
which were painted black. The standing and run-
ning rigging was in the most perfect order, and the
sails white as snow. In short, everything, &om the
single narrow red stripe on her low black hull to the
trucks on her tapering masts, evinced an amount of
care and strict discipline that would have done credit
to a ship of the Royal Navy. There was nothing
lumbering or unseemly about the vessel, excepting,

260 THE CORAL ISLAND.

perhaps, a boat, which lay on the deck with its kee!
up between the fore and main masts. It seemed
disproportionatdy large for the schooner ; but^ when
I saw that the crew amounted to between thirty and
forty men, I concluded that this boat was held in
reserve, in case of any accident compelling the crew
to desert the vessel

As I have before said, the costumes of the men
were similar to that of the captaro. But in head gear
they differed not only firom him but from each other,
some wearing the ordinary straw hat of the merchant
service, while others wore doth caps and red worsted
night-caps. I observed that all their arms were sent
below ; the captain only retaining his cutlass and a
single pistol in the folds of his shawL Although the
captain was the tallest and most powerful man in
the ship, he did not strikingly excel many of his men
in this respect, and the only difference that an ordi-
nary observer would have noticed was, a certain
degree of open candour, straightforward daring, in
the bold, ferocious expression of his face, which ren-
dered him less repulsive than his low-browed asso-
ciates, but did not by any means induce the belief
that he was a hero. This look was, however, the
indication of that spirit which gave him the pre-
eminence among the crew of desperadoes who called
him captain* He was a lion-like villain ; totally

THE CORAL ISLAND. 261

devoid of personal fear, and utterly reddess of conse-
quences, and, therefore, a terror to his men, who indi-
vidually hated him, but unitedly felt, it to be their
advantage to have him at their head.

But my thoughts soon reverted to the dear com-
panions whom I had left on shore, and as I turned
towards the Coral Island, which was now £ar away to
leeward, I sighed deeply, and the tears roUed slowly
down my cheeks as I thought that I might never see
them more.

"So you're blubbering, are you, you obstinate
whelp V said the deep voice of the captain, as he came
up and gave me a box on the ear that nearly felled
me to the deck. " I don't allow any such weakness
aboard o' this ship. So dap a stopper on your eyes
or 111 give you something to cry for."

I flushed with indignation at this rough and cruel
treatment, but felt that giving way to anger would
only make matters worse, so I made no reply, but
took out my handkerchief and dried my eyes.

" I thought you were made of better stuff,'' con-
tinued the captain, angrily ; " I'd rather have a mad
bull-dog aboard than a water-eyed ptippy. But 111
cure you, lad, or introduce you to the sharks before
long. Now go below, and stay there till I call you."

As I walked forward to obey, my «ye fell on a
small keg standing by the side of the main-mast, on

262 THB COBAL ISLAND.

which the word gwn/powder was written in pencil
It immediately flashed across me that, as we were
beating up against the wind, anything floating in the
sea would be driven on the reef encircling the Coral
Island. I also recollected — ^for thought is more rapid
than the lightning — ^that my old companions had a
pistol. Without a moment's hesitation, therefore, I
lifted the keg from the deck and tossed it into the
sea ! An exclamation of surprise burst from the cap-
tain and some of the men who witnessed this act of
mine.

Striding up to me, and uttering fearful impreca-
tions, the captam raised his hand to strike me, while
he shouted, " Boy ! whelp ! what mean you by
that r

" If you lower your hand," said I; in a loud voice,
while I felt the blood rush to my temples, '' 111 teU
you. Until you do so I'm dumb ! "

The captain stepped badk and regardecl me with
a look of amazement.

'' Now," continued I, " I threw that keg into the
sea because the wind and waves wiU cany it to my
Mends on the Coral Island, who happen to have a
pistol, but no powder. I hope that it will reach
them soon, and my only regret is that the keg was
not a bigger one. Moreover, pirate, you said just
now that you thought I was made of better stuff *

THE CORAL ISLAKB. 263

I don't know what stuff I am made of, — I never
thought much about that subject ; but I'm quite per-
tain of this, that I am made of such stuff as the like
of you shall never tame, though you should do your
worst"

To my snrprifle the captain, instead of flying into
a rage, smiled, and, thrusting his hand into the
voluminous shawl that encircled his waist, turned on
his heel and walked aft, while I went below.

Here, instead of being rudely handled, as I had
expected, the men received me with a shout of laugh-
ter, and one of them, patting me on the back, said,
" Well done, lad ! you're a brick, and I have no doubt
will turn out a rare cove. Bloody Bill, there, was
just such a fellow as you are, and he's now the big-
gest cut-throat of us all."

'' Take a can of beer, lad,'' cried another, " and
wet your whistle after that speech o' your'n to the
captaio. If any one o' us had made it, youngster,
he would have had no whistle to wet by this time."

" Stop your clapper. Jack," vociferated a third ;
" give the boy a jimck o' meat. Don't you see he's
a'most goin' to kick the bucket ?"

" And no wonder," said the first speaker, with an
oath, " after the tumble you gave him into the boat.
I guess it would have broke yov/r neck if you had
got it."

264 THB COBAL ISLAMB.

I did indeed feel somewhat fiBdnt ; which was owing,
doubtless, to the combined effects of ill-usage and
hunger ; for it will be recollected that I had dived
out of the cave that morning before breakfitst, and it
was now near mid-day. I therefore gladly accepted
a plate of boiled pork and a yam, which were handed
to me by one of the men &om the locker on which
some of the crew were seated eating their dinner.
But I must add that the zest with which I ate my
meal was much abated in consequence of the fright-
ful oaths and the terrible lamraa^^e that flowed from
the Ups of these godle. m73n in the midst of
their hilarity and good-humour. The man who had
been alluded to as Bloody Bill was seated near me,
and I could not help wondering at the moody silence
he maintained among his comrades. He did indeed
reply to their questions in a careless, off-hand tone,
but he never volimteered a remark. The only dif-
ference between him and the others was his tacitur-
nity and his size, for he was nearly, if not quite, as
large a man as the captain.

During the remainder of the afternoon I was left
to my own reflections, which were anything but
agreeable, for I could not banish fi*om my mind the
threat about the thumb-screws, of the nature and use
of which I had a vague but terrible conception. I
was still meditating on my unhappy £a.te when, just

THE CORAL ISLAND. 265

after night-fall, one of the watch on deck called
down the hatchway, —

" Hallo there! one o' you, tumble up and light the
cabin lamp, and send that boy afb to the capt&in —
sharp!"

" Now then, do you hear, youngster ? the captain
wants you. Look alive," said Bloody Bill, raising
his huge £rame from the locker on which he had
been asleep for the last two hours. He sprang up
the ladder and I instantly followed him, and, going
aft, was shown into the cabin by one of the men,
who closed the door after me.

A small silver lamp which hung from a beam
threw a dim soft light over the cabin, which was a
small apartment, and comfortably but plainly fur-
nished. Seated on a camp-stool at the table, and
busily engaged in examining a chart of the Pacific,
was the captain^ who looked up as I entered, and, in
a quiet voice, bade me be seated, while he threw
down his pencil, and, rising firom the table, stretched
himself on a so& at the upper end of the cabin.

" Boy," said he, looking me fiill in the face, '' what
is your name?'

" Ralph Rover," I replied

" Where did you come from, and how came you
to be on that island? How many companions had
you on it? Answer me, now, and mind you tell no lies."

266 THB CORAL ISLAND.

" I never tell lieB>" said I, firmly.

The captain received this reply with a cold sarcas-
tic smile, and bade me answer his qaestion&

I then told him the history of myself and my
companions from the time we sailed till the day of
his visit to the island, taJdng care, however, to make
no mention of the Diamond Cave. After I had con-
cluded, he was silent for a few minutes; then, look-
ing up, he said — " Boy, I believe you."

I was surprised at this remark, for I could not
imagine why he should not believe me. However,
I made no reply.

^' And what," continued the captain, " makes you
think that this schooner is a pirate ? ''

" The black flag," said I, " showed me what you
are ; and if any further proof were wanting I have
had it in the brutal treatment I have received at
your hands."

The captain frowned as I spoke, but subduing
his anger he continued — " Boy, you are too bold. I
admit that we treated you roughly, but that was be-
cause you made us lose time and gave us a good deal
of troubla As to the black flag, that is merely a
joke that my fellows play off upon people sometimes
in order to frighten them. It is their humour, and
does no harm. I am no pirate, boy, but a lawful
trader, — a rough one, I grant you, but one can't

THB COBAL ISLAND. 267

help that in these seas, where there are so many
pirates on the water and such murderous l)lackguards
on the land. I cany on a trade in sanded-wood
with the Feejee Islands; and if you choose, Balph,
to behave yourself and be a good boy, 111 take you
along with me and give you a good share of the
profits. Tou see I'm in want of an honest boy like
you, to look after the cabin and keep the log, and
superintend the traffic on shore sometimes. What
Bay you, Balph, would you like to become a sandal-
wood trader?"

I was much surprised by this explanation, and a
good deal relieved to find that the vessel, after all,
was not a pirate ; but instead of replying I said, "If
it be as you state, then why did you take me firom
my island, and why do you not now take me
backr

The captain smiled as he replied, " I took you ofi^
in anger, boy, and I'm sorry for it. I would even
now take you back, but we are too £ar away fix)m it.
See, there it is," he added, laying his finger on the
chart, " and we are now here, — ^fifty miles at least It
would not be fSEor to my men to put about now, for
they have all an interest in the trade."

I could make no reply to this ; so, after a little
more conversation, I agreed to become one of the
crew, at least until we could reach some civilized

268 THB CORAL ISLAND.

island where I might be put ashore. The captain
assented to this proposition, and after thanking him
for the promise, I left the cabin and went on deck
with feelings that ought to have been lighter, but
which were, I could not tell why, marvellously heavy
and uncomfortable stilL

THE COBAL ISLAND. 269

CHAPTER XXm.

Bloody BQl— Duk mnniaes— A fltnmge atilf and a stnnge crew, and a still afcnogtt
cargo— New reaaons for (kTourtng miaiicnariea— A murderoda maaiacre. and
thoughts thereon.

Thbee weeks after the conversation narrated in the
last chapter, I was standing on the quarter-deck of
the schooner watching the gambols of a shoal of por-
poises that swam round us. It was a dead calm.
One of those still, hot, sweltering days, so common
in the Pacific, when Nature seems to have gone to
sleep, and the only thing in water or in air that
proves her still alive, is her long, deep breathing, in
the swell of the mighty sea. No doud floated in
the deep blue above ; no ripple broke the reflected
blue below. The sun shone fiercely in the sky, and a
ball of fire blazed, with almost equal power, from out
the bosom of the water. So intensely still was it^
and so perfectly transparent was the surface of the
deep, that had it not been for the long swell already
alluded to, we might have believed the surroimding
universe to be a huge blue liquid ball, and our little
ship the one solitary material speck in all creation,
floating in the midst of it.

No sound broke on our ears save the soft puff now
and then of a porpoise, the slow creak of the masts,

270 THB CORAL ISLAITD.

as we swayed gently on the swell, the patter of the
reef-points, and the occasional flap of the hanging
sails. An awning covered the fore and after parts
of the schooner, under which the men composing the
watch on deck lolled in sleepy indolence, overcome
with excessive heat. Bloody Bill, as the men in-
variably called him, was standing at the tiller, but
his post for the present was a sinecure, and he whiled
away the time by alternately gazing in dreamy ab-
straction at the compass in the binnacle, and by walk-
ing to the taffirail in order to spit into the sea. In
one of these turns he came near to where I was
standing, and, leaning over the side, looked long and
earnestly down into the blue wave.

This man, although he was always taciturn and
often surly, was the only human being on board with
whom I had the slightest desire to become better
acquainted. The other men, seeing that I did not
relish their company, and knowing that I was a pro-
tege of the captain, treated me with total indifference.
Bloody Bill, it is true, did the same; but as this was
his conduct towards every one else, it was not
peculiar in reference to me. Once or twice I tried
to di*aw him into conversation, but he always turned
away after a few cold monosyllablea As he now
loaned over the tafirail dose beside me, I said to
him, —

THB COBAL ISLAND. 271

•' Bill, why is it that you are so gloomy? Why do
you never speak to any one?"

Bill smiled slightly as he replied, " Why, I s'poeo
it's because I haint got nothin' to say I"

"That's strange," said I, musingly; " you look like
a man that could think, and such men can usually
speak."

" So they can, youngster," rejoined Bill, somewhat
sternly; '* and I could speak too if I had a mind to,
but what's the use o' speakin' here ? The men only
open their mouths to curse and swear, an' they seem
to find it entertainin'; but I don't, so I hold my
tongue."

'' Well, Bill, that's true, and I would rather not
hear you speak at all than hear you speak like the
other men; but / don't swear. Bill, so you might
talk to me sometimes, I think. Besides, I'm weary
of spending day after day in this way, without a
single soul to say a pleasant word to. I've been
used to friendly conversation, BUI, and I really would
take it kind if you would talk with me a little now
and then."

Bill looked at me in surprise, and I thought I ob«
served a sad expression pass across his sun-burnt &ce.

" An' where have you been used to friendly con-
versation," said BUI, looking down again into the
sea; '* not on that Coral Island, I take it?"

272 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" Yes, indeed," said I energetically; " I have spent
many of the happiest months in my life on that Coral
Island;" and without -voting to be further questioned,
I launched out into a glowing account of the happy
life that Jack and Peterkin and I had spent together,
and related minutely every circumstance that befell
us while on the island.

" Boy, boy," said Bill, in a voice so deep that it
startled me, " this is no place for you."

" That's true," said I; " I'm of little use on board,
and I don't like my comrades; but I can't help it,
and at anyrate I hope to be &ee again soon."

'' !]?ree?" said Bill, looking at me in surprise.

" Yes, free," returned I ; " the captain said he would
put me ashore afiber this trip was over."

" This trip ! Hark'ee, boy," said Bill, lowering his
voice, ''what said the captain to you the day you
came aboard?"

'' He said that he was a trader in sandal-wood and
no pirate, and told me that if I would join him for
this trip he would give me a goo4 share of the
profits or put me on shore in some civilized island if
I chose,"

Bill's brows lowered savagely as he muttered,
'' ky, he said truth when he told you he was a san-
dal-wood trader, but he lied when — "

'' Sail ho !" shouted the look-out at the mast-head.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 273

" Where, away V cried Bill, springing to the tiller;
while the men, startled by the sudden cry jumped
up and gazed round the horizon.

'^ On the starboard quarter, hull down, sir," an-
swered the look-out.

At this moment the captain came on deck, and
mounting into the rigging, surveyed the sail through
the glass. Then sweeping his eye round the horizon
he gazed steadily at a particular point

'* Take in top-sails,'' shouted the captain, swinging
himself down on the deck by the main-back stay.

" Take in top-sails,'' roared the first mate.

" Ay, ay, sir-r-r," answered the men as they
sprang into the rigging and went aloft like cat&

Instantly all was bustle on board the hitherto

quiet schooner. The top-sails were taken in and

stowed, the men stood by the sheets and halyards,

and the captain gazed anxiously at the breeze which

was now rushing towards us like a sheet of dark

blue. In a few seconds it struck us. The schooner

trembled as if in surprise at the sudden oni^t, while

she fell away, then bending gracefully to the wind, as

though in acknowledgment of her subjection, she

cut through the waves with her sharp prow like a

dolphin, while Bill directed her course towards the

strange sail

In half an hour we neared her sufBiciently to

18

274 THK CORAL I8LAKD.

make out that she was a schooner, and, fix)in the
dnmsjr appearance of her masts and sails we judged
her to be a trader. She evidently did not like our
appearance, for, the instant the breeze reached her,
she crowded aU sail and showed us her stem. As
the breeze had moderated a little our top-sails were
again shaken out, and it soon became evide&t,— de-
spite the proverb, "A stem chase is a long one,"
that we doubled her speed and would overhaul her
speedily. When within a mile we hoisted British
colours, but receiving no acknowledgment, the cap-
tain ordered a shot to be fired across her bows. In
a moment, to my surprise, a large portion of the bot-
tom of the boat amidships was removed, and in the
hole thus exposed appeared an immense brass gun.
It worked on a swivel and was elevated by means of
machinery. It was quickly loaded and fired. The
heavy ball struck the water a few yards ahead of
the chase, and, ricochetting into the air, plunged into
the sea a mile beyond it.

This produced the desired effect The strange ves-
sel backed her top-sails and hove-to, while we ranged
up and lay-to, about a hundred yards off.

" Lower the boat," cried the captain.

In a second the boat was lowered and manned by
a part of the crew, who were all armed with cut-
lasses and pistols. As the captain passed me to get

THE CORAL ISLAND. 275

into it, he said, " Jump into the stem sheets, Ralph,
I may want yon." I obeyed, and in ten minutes
more we were standing on the stranger s deck.- We
were all much surprised at the sight that met our
eyes. Instead of a crew of such sailora as we were
accustomed to see, there were only fifteen blacks
standing on the qmxtewleck and regarding us with
looks of undisguised alarm. They were totally un-
armed and most of them unclothed; one or two, how-
ever, wore portions of European attire. One had on
a pair of duck trousers which were much too lai*ge for
him and stuck out in a most ungainly manner.
Another wore nothing but the common scanty native
garment round the loins, and a black beaver hat.
But the most ludicrous personage of all, and one who
seemed to be chie^ was a tall middle-aged man, of a
mild, simple expression of countenance, who wore a
white cotton shirt, a swallow-tailed coat, and a straw
hat, while his black brawny legs were totally un-
covered below the knees.

" Where's the commander of this ship?" inquired
our captain, stepping up to this individual

" I is capin," he answered, taking off his straw
bat and making a low bow.

"You!" said our captain, in surprise. "Where
do you come from, and where are you bound? What
cargo have you aboard V

276 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" We is come/' answered the man with the swal-
low-tail/' from Aitutaki ; we was go for Barotonga.
We is native miss'nary ship ; our name is de Olwe
Branch ; an' our cargo is two tons cocoa-nuts, seventy
pigs, twenty cats, and de Qosp'L"

This announcement was received by the crew of
our vessel with a shout of laughter, which, however,
was peremptorily checked by the captain, whose ex-
pression instantly changed from one of severity to
that of frank urbanity as he advanced towards
the missionary and shook him warmly by the
hand.

" I am very glad to have Mien in with you,**
said he, " and I wish you much success in your mis-
sionary labours. Pray take me to your cabin, as I
wish to converse with you privately."

The missionary immediately took him by the
hand, and as he led him away I heard him saying,
" Me most glad to find you trader ; we fought you
be pirate. You very like one 'bout the masts."

What conversation the captain had with this
man I never heard, but he came on deck again in a
quarter of an hour, and, shaking hands cordiaUy
with the missionary, ordered us into our boat and
returned to the schooner, which was immediately
put before the wind. In a few minutes the Olive
Brcmch was left far behind us.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 277

That afternoon, as I was down below at dinner, I
heard the men talking about this curious ship.

" I wonder," said one, " why our captain looked
so sweet on yon swallow-tailed super-cargo o' pigs
and Gospels. If it had been an ordinary trader, now,
he would have taken as many o' the pigs as he re-
quired and sent the ship with all on board to the
bottom."

"Why, Dick, you must be new to these seas if
you don't know that," cried another. " The captain
cares as much for the gospel as you do (an' that's
precious little), but he knows, and everybody knows,
that the only place among the southern islands where
a ship can put in and get what she wants in comfort,
is where the gospel has been sent to. There are
hundreds o' islands, at this blessed moment, where
you might as weU jump straight into a shark's maw
as land without a band o' thirty comrades armed to
the teeth to back you."

« Ay," said a man with a deep scar over his right
eye, " Dick's new to the work. But if the captain
takes us for a cargo o* sandal-wood to the Feejees
he'll get a taste o' these black gentry in their na-
tive 'condition. For my part I don*t know, an' I
don't care, what the gospel does to them; but I know
that when any o' the islands chance to get it, trade
goes all smooth an' easy ; but where they ha'nt got it,

278 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Beelzebub himself could hardly desire better com-
pany."

" Well, you ought to be a good judge," cried
another, laughing, " for youVe never kept any com-
pany but the worst all your life !"

" Balph Rover !" shouted a voice down the hatch-
way. " Captain wants you, aft."

Springing up the ladder I hastened to the cabin,
pondering as I went the strange testimony borne
by these men to the effect of the gospel on savage
natures ; — testimony whidi, as it was perfectly dis-
interested, I had no doubt whatever was strictly
true.

On coming again on deck I found Bloody Bill at
the helm, and as we were alone together I tried to
draw him into conversation. After repeating to him
the conversation in the forecastle about the mission-
aries, I said, —

" Tell me. Bill, is this schooner really a trader in
sandal-wood?"

" Yes, Balph, she is ; but she's just as really a pirate.
The black flag you saw flying at the peak was no
deception."

" Then how can you say she's a trader V asked L

'' Why, as to that, she trades when she can't take
by force, but she takes by force, when she can, in
preferenoa Ralph," he added, lowering his voice, " if

THB CORAL ISLAIO). 279

yoa had Been the bloody deeds that I have witnessed
done on these decks you wotild not need to ask if we
were pirates. But you'll find it out soon enough. As
for the missionaries, the captain favours them because
they are useful to him. The South-Sea islanders are
such incarnate fiends that they are the better of being
tamed, and the missionaries are the only men who
can do it"

Our track after this lay through several clusters
of small islets, among which we were becalmed more
than once. During this part of our voyage the watch
on deck and the look-out at the mast-head were more
than usually vigilant^ as we were not only in danger
of being attacked by the natives, who, I learned from
the captain's remarks, were a bloody and deceitfu]
tribe at this group, but we were also exposed to
mudi risk from the multitudes of coral reefs that
rose up in the channels between the islands, some of
them just above the surface, others a few feet below
it. Ourprecautionaa^abstthesavages I found were
indeed necessaiy.

One day we were becalmed among a group of small
islands^ most of which appeared to be uninhabited
As we were in want of fresh water the captain sent
the boat ashore to bring off a cask or two. But we
were mistaken in thinking there were no natives ;
for scarcely had we drawn near to the shore when

280 THE OOIUX ISLAND.

a band of naked blacks nished out of the bush and
assembled on the beach, brandishing their dubs and
spears in a threatening manner. Our men were well
armed, but re&ained &om showing any signs of hos-
tility, and rowed nearer in order to converse with
the natives; and I now found that more than one of
the crew could imperfectly speak dialects of the lan-
guage peculiar to the South Sea islanders. When
within forty yards of the shore, we ceased rowing,
and the first mate stood up to address the multitude;
but, instead of answering us, they replied with a
shower of stones, some of which cut the men severely.
Instantly our muskets were levelled, and a volley
was about to be fired, when the captain hailed us in
a loud voice from the schooner, which lay not more
than five or six hundred yards off the shora

" Don't fire,'' he shouted, angrily. " Pull off to
the point ahead of you."

The men looked surprised at this order, and uttered
deep curses as they prepared to obey, for their wrath
was roused and they burned for revenge. Three or
four of them hesitated, and seemed disposed to mutiny.

" Don't distress yourselves, lads," said the mate,
while a bitter smile ciurled his lip. " Obey orders.
The captain's not the man to take an insult tamely.
If Long Tom does not speak presently I'll give my-
self to the sharks."

THE COBAL ISLAND. 281

The men smiled significantly as they pulled firom
the shore, which was now crowded with a dense mass
of savages, amounting, probably, to five or six hun-
dred. We had not rowed off above a couple of hun-
dred yards when a loud roar thundered over the sea,
and the big brass gun sent a withering shower of
grape point blank into the midst of the living mass,
through which a wide lane was cut, while a yell, the
like of which I could not have imagined, burst firom
the miserable survivors as they fled to the woods.
Amongst the heaps of dead that lay on the sand, just
where they had fallen, I could distinguish mutilated
forms writhing in agony, while ever and anon one
and another rose convulsively firom out the mass, en-
deavoured to stagger towards the wood, and ere they
had taken a few steps, fell and wallowed on the
bloody sand. My blood curdled within me as I
witnessed this fiightfiil and wanton slaughter; but
I had little time to think, for the captain's deep
voice came again over the water towards us : " Pull
ashore, lads, and fill your water casks.'' The men
obeyed in silence, and it seemed to me as if even
their hard hearts were shocked by the ruthless deed.
On gaining the mouth of the rivulet at which we in-
tended to take in water, we found it flowing with
blood, for the greater part of those who were slain
had been standing on the banks of the stream, a

282 THB CORAL ISLAND.

short way above its mouth. Many of the wretched
creatures had Mien into it, and we found one body,
which had been carried down, jammed between two
rocks, with the staring eyeballs turned towards us
and his black hair waving in the ripples of the blood-
red stream. No one dared to oppose our landing
now, so we carried our casks to a pool above the
murdered group, and having filled them, returned on
board. Fortunately a breeze sprang up soon after-
wards and carried us away £rom the dreadful spot ;
but it could not waft me away from the memory of
what I had seen.

''And this,"" thought I, gazing in horror at the
captain, who, with a quiet look of indifference, leaned
upon the taffrail smoking a dgar and contemplating
the fertile green islets as they passed like a lovdy
picture before our eyes — "this is the man who favours
the missionaries because they are useful to him and
can tame the savages better than any one else can do
it!" Then I wondered in my mind whether it were
possible for any missionary to tame him!

THE CORAL ISLAND. 288

CHAPTER XXIV.

Bloody BUI la oommnnicative and sagadoiu— UnpIeaaaQt prospecta— Retrospective
meditations interrapted hj volcanic agency— The pirates negotiate with a Fe^ee
chief — Varions etceteras that are calculated to surprise and horrify.

It was many days after the events just narrated
ere I recovered a little of my wonted spirita I could
not shake off the feeling for a long time that I was
in a frightful dream, and the sight of our captain
fiUed me with so much horror that I kept out of his
way as much as my duties about the cabin would
permit. Fortunately he took so little notice of me
that he did not observe my chamred feelings towards

But I was now resolved that I would run away
the very first island we should land at, and commit
myself to the hospitality of the natives rather than
remain an hour longer than I could help in the pirate
schooner. I pondered this subject a good deal, and
at last made up my mind to communicate my inten-
tion to Bloody BUI; for, during several talks I had
had with him of late, I felt assured that he too would
wiUingly escape if possible. When I told him of my
design he shook his head. '' No, no, Balph,"' said he,
" you must not think of running away hera Among
some of the groups of islands you might do so with

284 THE CORAL ISLAND.

safety^ but if you tried it here you would find that
you had jumped out of the fiyin' pan into the fii*e."

" How so, Bill V said I, " would the natives not
receive me V

" That they would, lad ; but they would eat you
too/'

" Eat me 1" said I in surprise, " I thought the
South Sea islanders never ate anybody except their

enemies."

" Humph !" ejaculated Bill " I s'pose 'twas yer
tender-hearted friends in England that put that no-
tion into your head. There's a set o' soft-hearted
folk at home that I knows on, who don't like to have
their feelin's ruffled, and when you tell them any-
thing they don't like — ^that shocks them, as they
call it — ^no matter how true it be, they stop their
ears and cry out, ' Oh, that is too horrible! We can't
believe that!' An' they say truth. They can't be-
lieve it 'cause they won't believe it. Now, I believe
there's thousands o' the people in England who are
sich bom drivellin' won*iMIAeveT8 that they think
the black feUows hereaway, at the worst, eat an
enemy only now an' then, out o' spite ; whereas, I
know for certain, and many captains of the British
and American navies know as well as me, that the
Feejee islanders eat not only their enemies but one
another ; and they do it not for spite, but for pleasure

THE CORAL ISLAND. 285

It's a fad that they prefer human flesh to any other.
But they don't like white men's flesh so well as black.
They say it makes them sick." ^

" Why, Bill," said I, " you told me just now that
they would eat me if they caught me."

" So I did; and so I think they would. IVe only
heard some o* them say they don't like white men %o
weU as black;, but if they was hungry they wouldn't
be particular. Anyhow, I'm sure they would kill
you. You see, Balph, I've been a good while in
them parts, and I've visited the different groups of
islands oftentimes as a trader. And thorough goin'
blackguards some o' them traders ara No better
than pirates, I can tell you. One captain that I
sailed with was not a chip better than the one we're
with now. He was tradin' with a Mendly chief one
day, aboard his vessel The chief had swam off to
us with the things for trade tied a-top of his head,
for them chaps are like otters in the water. Well,
the chief was hard on the captain, and would not
part with some o' his things. When their bargainin'
was over they shook hands, and the chief jumped
over board to swim ashore; but before he got forty
yards &om the ship the captain seized a musket and
shot him dead He then hove up anchor and put to
sea, and as we sailed along shore, he dropped six black
fellows with his rifle, remarkin' that ' that would

286 THE CORAL ISLAND.

spoil the trade for the next comera' But, as I was
sayin', I'm up to the ways o' these fellows. One o'
the laws o* the country is, that every shipwrecked
person who happens to be cast ashore, be he dead or
alive, is doomed to be roasted and eaten. There was
a small tradin' schooner wrecked off one of these
islands when we were lyin' there in harbour during a
storm. The crew was lost^ aU but three men, who
swam ashore. The moment they landed they were
seized by the natives and carried up into the woods.
We knew pretty weU what their fate would be, but
we could not help them, for our crew was small, and
if we had gone ashore they would likely have killed
us all. We never saw the three men again; but
we heard frightful yelling, and dancing, and merry-
making that night; and one of the natives, who came
aboard to trade with us next day, told us that the
long pigs, as he called the men, had been roasted and
eaten, and their bones were to be converted into sail
needles. He also said that white men were bad to
eat, and that most o' the people on shore were sick."
I was very much shocked and cast down in my
mind at this terrible account of the natives, and
asked Bill what he would advise me to do. Look-
ing roimd the deck to make sure that we were not
overheard, he lowered his voice and said, " There are
two or three ways that we might escape, Ralph, but

THE CORAL ISLAND. 287

none o' them's easy. If the captain would only sail
for some o' the islands ntor Tahiti, we might run
away there well enough, because the natives are all
Christians; an' we find that wherever the savages
take up with Christianity they always give over
their bloody ways, and are safe to be trusted. I
never cared for Christianity myself/' he continued,
in a soliloquising voice, " and I don't well know what
it means; but a man with half an eye can see what it
does for these black critters. However, the captain
always keeps a sharp look out after us when we get
to these islands, for he half suspects that one or two
o' us are tired of his company. Then, we might
manage to cut the boat adrift some fine night when
it's our watch on deck, and clear off before they
discovered that we were gone. But we woxdd run
the risk o' bein' caught by the blacks. I wouldn't
like to try that plan. But you and I will think
over it, Ralph, and see what's to be done. In the
meantime it's our watch below, so 111 go and turn

UL

BiU then bade me good night, and went below,
while a comrade took his place at the helm; but,
feeling no desire to enter into conversation with him,
I walked aft, and, leaning over the stem, looked
down into the phosphorescent waves that gurgled
around the rudder, and streamed out like a flame of

288 THE CORAL ISLAND

blue light in the veasers wake. My thoughts were
very sad, and I could scatoe refrain from tears as I
contrasted my present wretched position with the
happy, peaceful time, I had spent on the Coral Island
with my dear companiona As I thought upon Jack
and Peterkin anxious forebodings crossed my mind,
and I pictured to myself the grief and dismay with
which they would search every nook and comer of the
island, in a vain attempt to discover my dead body ;
for I felt assured that if they did not see any sign of
the pirate schooner or boat, when they came out of
the cave to look for me, they would never imagine
that I had been carried away. I wondered, too,
how Jack would succeed in getting Peterkin out of
the cave without my assistance; and I trembled
when I thought that he might lose presence of mind,
and begin to kick when he was in the tunnel!
These thoughts were suddenly interrupted and put
to flight by a bright red blaze which lighted up the
horizon to the southward, and cast a crimson glow
far over the sea. This appearance was accompanied
by a low growling soimd, as of distant thunder,
and, at the same time, the sky above us became
black, while a hot stifling wind blew around us in
fitful gusts.

The crew assembled hastily on deck, and most of
them were under the belief that a frightfiil hurricane

THE COBAL ISLAND. 289

was pending; .but the captain coming on deck, soon
explained the phenomena.

" It's only a volcano/' said ha " I knew there
was one hereabouts, but thought it was extinct. Up
there and furl top-gallantHsails ; we'll likely have a
breeze, and it's weU to be ready."

As he spoke, a shower began to fall, which we
quickly observed was not rain, but fine ashes. As
we were many miles distant from the volcano, these
must have been carried to us from it by the wind
As the captain had predicted, a stiff breeze soon after-
wards sprang up, under the influence of which we
speedily left the volcano far behind us; but during
the greater part of the night we could see its lurid
glare and hear its distant thunder. The shower did
not cease to fSsJl for several hours, and we must have
sailed under it foi nearly forty miles, perhaps &rther.
When we emerged from the doud, our decks and
every part of the rigging were completely covered
with a thick coat of ashes. I was much interested
in this, and recollected that Jack had often spoken
of many of the islands of the Pacific as being vol-
canoes, either active or extinct, and had said that the
whole region was more or less volcanic, and that
some scientific men were of opinion that the
islands of the Pacific were nothing more or less

than the mountain tops of a huge continent

Itf

290 THE OORAL ISLAND.

which had Bunk under the influence of volcanic
agency.

Three days after passing the volcano, we found
ourselves a few miles to windward of an island
of considerable size and luxuriant aspect It con-
sisted of two mountains, which seemed to be nearly
four thousand feet high. They were separated fix)m
each other by a broad vaUey, whose thick-growing
trees ascended a considerable distance up the moun-
tain sides; and rich level plains^ or meadow-land,
spread round the base of the mountaiusy except at
the point immediately opposite the laj^ valley, where
a river seemed to carry the trees, as it were, along
with it down to the white sandy shore. The moun-
tain tops, unlike those of our Coral Island, were sharp,
needle-shaped, and bare, while their sides were more
rugged and grand in outline than anything I had yet
seen in those seaa Bloody BUI was beside me when
the island first hove in sight.

''Ha!'' he exclaimed, "I know that island well
They call it Emo/'

" Have you been here before, then?" I inquired.

" Ay, that I have, often, and so has this schooner.
'Tis a &mous island for sandal-wood. We have taken
many cargoes off it already, and have paid for them
too ; for the savages are so numerous that we dared
not try to take it by force. But our captain has

THK CORAL ISLAND. 291

tried to cheat them so often, that they're beginnin'
not to like ns overmuch now. Besides, the men be-
haved ill the last time we were here ; and I wonder
the captain is not a&aid to venture. But he's afraid
o' nothing earthly, I believe.'*

We soon ran inside the barrier coral-reef, and let
go our anchor in six fathoms water, just opposite the
mouth of a small creek, whose shores were densely
covered with mangroves and taU umbrageous trees.
The principal village of the nativeB lay about half a
mile from this point. Ordering the boat out, the
captain jumped into it, and ordered me to follow
him. The men, fifteen in number, were well armed;
and the mate was directed to have Long Tom ready
for emergencies.

'* Give way, lads,'' cried the captain.

The oars fell into the water at the word, the boat
shot from the schooner's side, and in a few minutes
reached the shora Here, contrary to our expecta-
tion, we were met with the utmost cordiality by
Bomata, the principal chief of the island, who con-
ducted us to his house, and gave us mats to sit upon.
I observed in passing that the natives, of whom
there were two or three thousand, were totally im-
armed.

After a short preHminaiy palaver, a feast of baked
pigs and vaxiousroote^^ before us; of which

292 THB OOBAL ISLAND.

we partook sparingly, and then proceeded to busi-
ness. The captain stated his object in visiting the
island, regretted that there had been a slight misun-
derstanding during the kst visit, and hoped that no
ill-will was borne by either party, and that a satis-
factory trade would be accomplished.

Bomata answered that he had forgotten there had
been any differences between them, protested that he
was delighted to see his Mends again, and assured
them they should have every assistance in cutting
and embarking the wood. The terms were after-
wards agreed on, and we rose to depart All this
conversation was afterwards explained to me by Bill,
who understood the language pretty welL

Bomata accompanied us on board, and explained
that a great chief from another island was then on a
visit to him, and that he was to be ceremoniously
entertained on the following day. After begging to be
allowed to introduce him to us, and receiving per-
mission, he sent his canoe ashore to bring him off.
At the same time he gave orders to bring on board
his two &vourites, a cock and a paroquet. While
the canoe was gone on this errand, I had time to
regard the savage chief attentively. He was a man of
immense size, with massive but beautifully moulded
limbs and figure, only parts of which, the broad chest
and muscular arms, were uncovered ; for, although the

THK CORAL ISLAND. 293

lower orders generally wore no other clothing than a
strip of doth called wa/ro round their loins, the chief,
on paiiicular occasions, wrapped his person in volumin-
ous folds of a species of native doth made from the
bark of the Chinese paper-mulberry. Bomata wore
a magnificent black beard and moustache, and his
hair was frizzed out to such an extent that it re-
sembled a large turban, in which was stuck a long
wooden pin ! I afterwards fomid that this pin served
for scratching the head, for which purpose the fingers
were too short without disarranging the hair. But
Bomata put himself to much greater inconvenience
on account of his hair, for we foimd that he slept
with his hea4 resting on a wooden pillow, in which
was cut a hoUoW for the neck, so that the hair of the
deeper might not be disarranged.

In ten minutes the canoe returned, bringing the
other chie^ who certainly presented a most extraor-
dinary appeaxaiuse. having painted one half of his
face red and the other half yellow, besides ornament-
ing it with various designs in black I Otherwise
he was much the same in appearance as Bomata,
though not so powerfully built. As this chief had
never seen a ship before, except, perchance, some of
the petty traders that at long intervals visit these
remote islands, he was much taken up with the neat-
ness and beauty of all the fittings of the schooner.

294 THB CORAL ISLAND.

He was particularly struck with a musket which was
shown to him, and asked where the white men got
hatchets hard enough to cut the tree of which the
barrel was madel While he was thus engaged, his
brother chief stood aloof, talking with the captain,
and fondling a superb cock and a little blue-headed
paroquet, the favourites of which I have before
spoken. I observed that all the other natives
walked in a crouching posture while in the presence
of Romata. Before our guests left us, the captain
ordered the brass gun to be uncovered and fired for
their gratification; and I have every reason to be-
lieve he did so for the purpose of showing our supe-
rior power, in case the natives should harbour any
evil designs against us. Bomata had never seen this
gun before, as it had not been uncovered on previous
visits, and the astonishment with which he viewed
it was veiy amusing. Being desirous of knowing
its power, he begged that the captain would fire it.
So a shot was put into it. The chiefs were then
directed to look at a rock about two miles out at sea.
and the gun was fired. In a second the top of the
rock was seen to burst asunder, and to fedl in fing-
ments into the sea.

Bomata was so delighted with the success of this
shot, that he pointed to a man who was walking on
the shore, and begged the captain to fire at him,

THX CORAL ISLAND. 295

evidently supposing that his permission was quite
sufficient to justify the captain in such an act He
was therefore surprised, and not a little annoyed,
when the captain refused to fire at the native, and
ordered the gun to be housed.

Of all the things, however, that afforded matter
of amusement to these savages, that which pleased
Bomata's visitor most was the ship's pump. He
never tired of examining it, and pumping up the
water. Indeed, so much was he taken up with this
pump, that he could not be prevailed on to return on
shore, but sent a canoe to fetch his favourite stool,
on which he seated himself, and spent the remainder
of the day in pumping the bilge-water out of the
ship !

Next day the crew went ashore to cut sandal-
wood, while the captain, with one or two men, re-
mained on board, in order to be ready, if need be.
with the brass gun, which was unhoused and con-
spicuously elevated, with its capacious muzzle direct-
ed point blank at the chiefs house. The men were
fully armed as usual; and the captain ordered me to
go with them, to assist m the work. I was much
pleased with this order, for it freed me from the cap-
tain's company, which I could not now endure, and
it gave me an opportunity of seeing the natives.

As we wound along in single file through the rich

296 THB COBAL ISLASD,

fragrant groves of banana, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and
other trees, I observed that there were many of the
plum and banian trees, with which I had become
familiar on the Coral Island I noticed also large
quantities of taro-roots, yams, and sweet potatoes,
growing in enclosures. On tumiug into an open
glade of the woods, we came abruptly upon a cluster
of native houses. They were built chiefly of bam-
boos, and were thatched with the large thick leaves
of the pandanus ; but many of them had little more
than a sloping roof and three sides with an open
fix)nt, being the most simple shelter from the weather
that could weU be imagined. Within these, and
around them, were groups of natives — ^men, women,
and children— who aH stood up to gaze at us aa we
marched along, followed by the party of men whom
the chief had sent to escort us. About half a mile
inland we arrived at the spot where the sandal-wood
grew, and, while the men set to work, I clambered
up an adjoining hill to observe the country. •

About mid-day, the chief arrived with several fol-
lowers, one of whom carried a baked pig on a wooden
platter, with yams and potatoes on several plantain
leaves, which he presented to the men, who sat down
under the shade of a tree to dine. The chief sat
down to dine also; but, to my surprise, instead of
feeding himself, one of his wives performed that offiq^

THE COBAL ISLAND. 297

for ^itn ! I was seated beside Bill, and asked him
the reason of thi&

" It is beneath his dignity, I believe, to feed him-
self," answered Bill; " but I daresay he's not particu-
lar, except on great ooeasiona They Ve a strange
custom among them, Balph, which is called tobbu, and
they carry it to great lengths. If a man chooses a
particular tree for his god, the fruit o' that tree is
tabued to him; and if he eats it, he is sure to be
killed by his people, and eaten, of course, for killing
means eating hereaway. Then, you see that great
mop o' hair on the chief's head ? Well, he has a lot
o' barbers to keep it in order ; and it's a law that
whoever touches the head of a living chief or the
body of a dead one, his hands are tabued ; so, in that
way, the barbers' hands are always tabued, and they
daren't use them for their lives, but have to be fed
like big babies, as they are, sure enough !"

" That's odd. Bill. But look there," said I, point-
ing to a man whose skin was of a much lighter colour
than the generality of the natives. " I've seen a few
of these light-skinned feUows among the Fejeeans.
They seem to me to be of quite a different race."

"So they are," answered BilL "These feUows
come from the Tongan Islandff, which lie a long way
to the eastward. They come here to build their big
war-canoes; and as these take two, and sometimes

298 THE COBAL ISLAND.

four years, to build, there's always some o' the brown-
skins among the black sarpents o' these islands/'

" By the way, Bill," said I, " your mentioning ser-
pents, reminds me that I have not seen a reptile of
any kind since I came to this part of the world.''

" No more there are any," said Bill, " if ye except
the niggers themselves, there's none on the islands, but
a lizard or two and some dch harmless things. But
I never seed any mysel£ If there's none on the
land, however, there's more than enough in the water,
and that minds me of a wonderful brute they have
here. But, come, I'll show it to you." So saying,
Bill arose, and, leaving the men still busy with the
baked pig, led me into the forest. After proceeding
a short distance we came upon a small pond of
stagnant water. A native lad had followed us, to
whom we called and beckoned him to come to us. On
Bill saying a few words to him, which I did not
understand, the boy advanced to the edge of the
pond, and gave a low peculiar whistle. Immediately
the water became agitated and an enormous eel thrust
its head above the surface and allowed the youth to
touch it It was about twelve feet long, and as thick
roimd the body as a man's thigh.

" There," said Bill, his lip curling with contempt,
" what do you think of that for a god, Balph ? This
is one o' their gods, and it has been fed with dozens o'

THE COBAL ISLAND. 299

Uvin' babies already. How many more it'U get
afore it dies is hard to say/'

" Babies?" said I, with aa incredulous look.

"Ay, babies," returned BilL "Your sofb-heartedfolk
at home would say, 'Oh, horrible ! impossible ! ' to that,
and then go away as comfortable and unconcerned as
if their sayin' 'horrible ! impossible'!' had made it a
lie. But I teU you, Balph, it's a fact. I've seed it
with my own eyes the last time I was here, an' may-
hap if you stop a while at this accursed place, and
keep a sharp look out, you'll see it too. They don't
feed it regularly with livin' babies, but they give it
one now and then*as a treat. Bah ! you brute !'
cried Bill, in disgust, giving the reptile a kick on
the snout with his heavy boot, that sent it swelter-
ing back in agony into its loathsome pool. I thought
it lucky for Bill, indeed for all of us, that the native
youth's back happened to be turned at the time, for 1
am certain that if the poor savages had come to know
that we had so rudely handled their god, we should
have had to fight our way back to the ship. As we
retraced omr steps I questioned my companion farther
on this subject.

"How comes it, Bill, that the mothers allow such
a dreadful thing to be done ? "

" Allow it ? the mothers do it I It seems to me
that there's nothing too fiendish or diabolical for these

300 TOE CORAL ISLAND.

people to do. Why, in some of the islands they
have an institution called the Areoi, and the persons
connected with that body are ready for any wicked-
ness that mortal man can devise. In fact they stick
at nothing ; and one o' their customs is to murder
their infants the moment they are bom. The mothers
agree to it, and the fathers do it. And the mildest
ways they have of murdering them is by sticking them
through the body with sharp splinters of bamboo,
strangling them with their thumbs, or burying them
alive and stamping them to death while under the
sod."

I felt sick at heart while my companion recited
these horrors.

"But it's a curious taxsb,*' he continued, after a
pause, during which we walked in silence towards the
spot where we had left our comrades, — " it's a curious
fistct, that wherever the nussionaxies get a footin' all
these things come to an end at once, an' the savages
tate to3 ea«h other good, and si;gin> psaJxnZjust
like Methodists."

'' God bless the missionaries!" said I, while afeel-
ing of enthusiasm filled my heart, so that I could
speak with difficulty. " Qod bless and prosper the
missionaries till they get a footing in eveiy island of
the sea!"

'* I would say Amen to that pmyer, Ralph, if T

THE COHAL ISLAND. 801

could," said Bill, in a deep, sad voice ; " but it would
be a mere mockery for a man to ask a blessing for
others who dare not ask one for himself. But,
Ralph," he continued, " Tve not told you half o' the
abominations I have seen durin' my life in these
seas. If we pull long together, lad. 111 tell you more ;
and if times have not changed very much since I
was here last, it's like that youll have a chance o^
seeing a little for yourself before long."

B02 THB CORA.L ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXV.

The Sandal-wood party—Natiye children's gamea, aomewhat iiirpriatng->I>eq>ento
amuaemente saddenly and fiitally bronght to a cloa»— An (dd friend reoogniaed—
Newa— Romata's mad condnct

Next day the wood-cuttiBg party went ashore again,
and I accompanied them as before. During the
dinner hour I wandered into the woods alone, being
disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled &r
when I found myself unexpectedly on the sea-shore,
haying crossed a narrow neck of land which separated
the native village from a large bay. Here I found a
party of the islanders busy with one of their war-
canoes, which was almost ready for launching. I
stood for a long time watching this party with great
interest, and observed that they fafitened the timbers
and planks to each other very much in the same
way in which I had seen Jack fasten those of our little
boat. But what surprised me most was its immense
length, which I measured very carefully, and found
to be a hundred feet long ; and it was so capadous
that it could have held three hundred men. It had
the unwieldy out-rigger and enormously high stem-
posts which I had remarked on the canoe that came
to us while I was on the Cbral Island. Observing

o

some boys playing at games a short way along the

THE CORAL ISLAND. 803

beach, I resolved to go and watch them; but as I
turned from the natives who were engaged so busily
and cheerfully at their work, I little thought of the
terrible event that hung on the completion of that
war-canoe.

Advancing towards the children, who were so
numerous that I began to think this must be the
general play-ground of the village, I sat down on a
grassy bank under the shade of a plantain-tree, to
^them. And a happier or mo« noisy crew I
have never seen. There were at least two hundred of
them, both boys and girls, all of whom were dad in
no other garments than their own glossy little black
skins, ex^^the maro. or sWp of Z «>nnd the
loins of the boys, and a very short petticoat or kilt
on the girls. They did not all play at the same
game, but amused themselves in different groups.

One band was busily engaged in a game exactly
similar to our blind-man Vbuff. Another set were
walking on stilts, which raised the children three
feet from the ground. They were very expert at
this amusement and seldom tumbled. In another
place I observed a group of girls standing together,
and apparently enjoying themselves very much ; so I
went up to see what they were doing, and found that
they were opening their eye-lids with their fingers
till their eyes appeared of an enormous size, and then

304 THE CORAL ISLAND.

thrusting pieces of straw between the upper and
lower lidSy across the eye-ball, to keep them in that
position ! This seemed to me, I must confess, a very
foolish as well as dangerous amusement. Neverthe-
less the children seemed to be greatly delighted with
the hideous faces they made. I pondered this sub-
ject a good deal, and thought that if little children
knew how silly they seem to grown-up people when
they make faces, they would not be so fond of doing
it In another place were a number of boys engaged
m flying kites, and I could not help wondering that
some of the games of those little savages should be so
like to our own, although they had never seen us at
play. But the kites were different from ours in
many respects, being of every variety of shape. They
were made of very thin doth, and the boys raised
them to a wonderful height in the air by means of
twine made from the cocoa-nut husk. Other games
there were, some of which showed the natural de-
pravity of the hearts of these poor savages, and
made me wish fervently that missionaries might be
sent out to them. But the amusement which the
greatest number of the children of both sexes
seemed to take chief delight in, was swimming and
diving in the sea; and the expertness which they ex-
hibited was truly amazing. They seemed to have
two principal games in the water, one of which was

THE CORAL ISLAKB. 305

to dive off a sort of stage which had been erected
near a deep part of the sea, and chase each other in
the water. Some of them went down to an extra-
ordinary depth ; others skimmed along the snrfSsLce, or
rolled over and over like porpoises, or diving under
each other, came up unexpectedly and pulled each
other down by a leg or an arm. They never seemed
to tire of this sport, and, from the great heat of the
water in the South Seas, they could remain in it nearly
all day without feeling chilled. Many of these
children were almost iofants, scarce able to walk ; yet
they staggered down the beach, flung their round
fat little black bodies fearlessly into deep water, and
struck out to sea with as much confidence as duck-
lings.

The other game to which I have referred was
swimming in the surf. But as this is an amuse-
ment in which all engage, from children of ten to
gray-headed men of sixty, and as I had an oppor-
tunity of witnessing it in perfection the day follow-
ing, I shall describe it more minutely.

I suppose it was in honour of their guest that
this grand swimming-match was got up, for Bomata
came and told the captaia that they were going to
engage in it, and begged him to " come and see.''

" What sort of amusement is this surf swimming?"

I inquired of Bill, as we walked together to a part

20

806 THR CORAL ISLAND.

of the shore on which several thotisands of the natives
were assembled'.

" It's a very figtvourite lark with these 'xtr or'nary
critters/' replied Bill, giving a turn to the qtdd of
tobacco that invariably bulged out his left cheek.
" Ye see, Ealph, them fellows take to the water as
soon a'most as they can walk, an' long before they
can do that anything respectably, so that they are
as much at home in the sea as on the land. Well,
ye see, I 'spose they found swimmin' for miles out
to sea, and divin' fiithoms deep, wasn't exciting
enough, so they invented this game o* swimmin' on
the surf. Each man and boy, as you see, has got a
short board or plank, with which he swims out for a
mile or more to sea^ and then, gettin' on the top o*
yon thunderin* breaker, they come to shore on the
top of it, yellin' and screechin' like fiends. It's a
marvel to me that they're not dashed to shivers on
the coral reef, for sure an' sartin am I that if any o'
us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke of a
broken anchor after the wave fell. But there
they go !"

As he spoke, several hundreds of the natives,
amongst whom we .were now standing, uttered a
loud yell, rushed down the beach, plunged into the
surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of
the retreating wave.

THK CORAL ISLAND. 807

At the point where we stood, the endrdiiig coral
reef joined the shore, so that the magnificent breakers,
which a recent stiff breeze had rendered larger than
usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the multitudes
who lined the beach. For some time the swimmers
continued to strike out to sea, breasting over the
swell like hundreds *of black seals. Then they all
turned, and, watching an approaching billow, mounted
its white crest, and, each laying his breast on the short
flat board, came rolling towards the shore, careering
on the summit of the mighty wave, while they and
the onlookers shouted and yelled with excitement.
Just as the monster wave curled in solemn majesty
to fling its bulky length upon the beach, most of the
swimmers slid back into the trough behind ; others,
sUpping off their boards, seized them in their hands,
and, plunging through the watery waste, swam out
to repeat the amusement ; but a few, who seemed to
me the most reckless, continued their career until
they were launched upon the beach, and enveloped
in the churning foam and spray. One of these last
came in on the crest of the wave most manfully, and
landed with a violent bound almost on the spot
where Bill and I stood. I saw by his peculiar head-
dress that he was the chief whom the tribe enter-
tained as their guest. The sea- water had removed
nearly all the paint with which his face had been

308 THE CORAL ISLAKli.

covered ; and, as he rose panting to his feet, I recog-
nised, to my surprise, the features of Tararo, my old
Mend of the Coral Island !

Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and,
advancing quickly, took me round the neck and
rubbed noses; which had the effect of transferring a
good deal of the moist paint ftom his nose to mine.
Then, recollecting that this was not the white man's
mode of salutation, he grasped me by the hand and
shook it violently.

'' Hallo, Balph V cried Bill, in surprise, " that chap
seems to have taken a sudden &ncy to you, or he
must be an old acquaintance.''

" Right, Bill," I replied, " he is indeed an old ac-
quaintance;" and I explained in a few words that
he was the chief whose party Jack and Peterkin and
I had helped to save.

Tararo having: thrown away his surf-boanL entered
into » »Mia oon^^n ^.^ Bil poinft^
frequently during the course of it to me ; whereby I
concluded he must be telling him about the memor-
able battle, and the part we had taken in it. When
he paused, I begged of Bill to ask him about the
woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she might
have come with Tararo on this visit. " And ask
him," said I, " who she is, for I am persuaded, she is
of a different race from the Feejeeans." On the

THE CORAL ISLAND. .309

mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and
seemed to speak with much anger.

'* You're right, Ralph/' said Bill, when the chief
had ceased to talk ; ^' she's not a Feejee girl, but a
Samoan. How she ever came to this place the chief
does not very dearly explain, but he says she was
taken in war, and that he got her three years ago,
an' kept her as his daughter ever since. Lucky for
her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and eaten
like the rest."

" But why does Tararo frown and look so angry ?"
said I.

" Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most
o' the sex, an' won't marry the man he wants her
to. It seems that a chief of some other island came
on a visit to Tararo and took a fiaiLcy to her, but she
wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in
love, and engaged to a young chief whom Tararo
hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy ; so, as he
was going on a war expedition in his canoe, he left
her to think about it, sayin' he'd be back in six
months or so, when he hoped she wouldn't be so obstro-
poloua This happened just a week ago ; an' Tararo
says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief re-
turns, as his bride, she'll be sent to him as a long pig,'

" As a long pig !" I exclaimed in surprise ; " why
what does he mean by that?"

310 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" He means somethin' very unpleasant/' answered
Bill, with a frown. '' You see these blackguards eat
men an' women just aa readily as they eat pigs ; and,
as baked pigs and baked men are very like each
other in appearance^ they call men Jxmg piga If
Avatea goes to this fellow as a long pig, it's all up
with her, poor thing."

'* Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly.

" No, she's at Tararo's island."

" And where does it lie ?"

"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o'
this," returned BiU ; " but I—"

At this moment we were startled by the cry of
'' Mao ! mao ! — a shark ! a shark !" which was im-
mediately followed by a shriek that rang dear and
fearftdly loud above the tumult of cries that arose
from the savages in the water and on the land. We
turned hastily towards the direction whence the cry
came, and had just time to observe the glaring eye-
balls of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms
in the air. Next instant he was pulled under the
waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the hand
of the drowning man was caught, but only half of his
body was dragged from the maw of the monster, which
followed the canoe until tte water became so shallow
that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the next bil-
low was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore.

THS COSAL ISLAND. 811

In most oountries of the world this would have
made a deep impression on the spectators^ but the
only effect it had upon these islanders was to make
them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a simi-
lar £aite should befall some of the others; but, so
utterly reckless were they of human life, that it did
not for a moment suspend the progress of their
amusements. It is true the surf-swimming ended
for that time somewhat abruptly, but they imme-
diately proceeded with other games. Bill told me
that sharks do not often attack the surf-swimmers,
being frightened away by the immense numbers of
men and boys in the water, and by the shouting and
splashing that they make. '' But," said he, " such a
thing as you have seen just now don't frighten them
much. TheyTl be at it again to-morrow or next day,
just as if there wasn't a single shark between Feejee
and Nova Zembla."

After this the natives h&d a series of wrestling
and boxing matches; and being men of immense
size and muscle, they did a good deal of injury to
each other, especially in boxing, in which not only
the lower orders, but several of the chie& and priests
engaged. Each bout was very quickly terminated,
for ^ey did not pretend to a Sentific Lwledge o
U.e art! and waL no ti^e in sparring. buT hit
straight out at each other's heads» and their blows

312 THS CORAL ISLAND.

were delivered with great force. Frequently one of
the combatants was knocked down with a angle
blow ; and one gigantic fellow hit his adversary so
severely that he drove the skin entirely off his fore-
head. This feat was hailed with immense applause
by the spectators.

During these exhibitions, which were very painful
to me, though I confess I could not refirain from be-
holding them, I was struck with the beauty of many
of the funires and designs that were tattooed on the
person*^ chiefeZprincipal men. One figux«.
that seemed to me very elegant, was that of a palm-
tree tattooed on the back of a man's leg, the roots
rising, as it were, from under his heel, the stem
ascending the tendon of the ankle, and the graceful
head branching out upon the calf. I afterwards
learned that this process of tattooing is very painful,
and takes long to do, commencing at the age of ten,
and being continued at intervals up to the age of
thirty. It is done by means of an instrument made
of bone, with a number of sharp teeth with which
the skin is punctured. Into these punctures a pre-
paration made from the kernel of the candle-nut,
mixed with cocoa-nut oil, is rubbed, and the mark
thus made is indelible. The operation is performed
by a dass of men whose profession it is, and they
tattoo as much at a time as the person on whom

THE CORAL ISLAND. 313

they are operating can bear ; which is not much, the
pain and inflammation caused by tattooing being
very great, sometimes causing death* Some of the
chie& were tattooed with an ornamental stripe down
the legs, which gave them the appearance of being
dad in tights. Others had marks round the ankles
and insteps, which looked like tight-fitting and ele-
gant boota Their faces were also tattooed, and their
breasts were very profusely marked with every ima-
ginable species of device, — muskets, dogs, birds, pigs,
dubs, and canoes, intermingled with lozenges, squares,
drdes, and other arbitrary figurea

The women were not tattooed so much as the men,
having only a few marks on their feet and arms.
But I must say, however objectionable this strange
practice may be, it nevertheless had this good effect,
that it took away very much from their appear-
ance of nakedness.

Next day, while we were returning from the woods
to our schooner, we observed Bomata rushing about
in the neighbourhood of his house,, apparently mad
with passion.

"Ah!" said Bill to me, "there he's at his old
tricks again. That's his way when he gets drink.
The natives make a sort of drink o' their own, and
it makes him bad enough ; but when he gets brandy
he's like a wild tiger. The captain, I suppose, has

314 THE COBAL ISLAND.

given him a bottle, as usual, to keep him in good
humour. After drinkin' he usually goes to sleep,
and the people know it well and keep out of his way,
for fear they should waken him. Even the babies
are taken out of ear-shot ; for, when he's waked up,
he rushes out just as you see him now, and spears
or dubs the first person he meets/'

It seemed at the present time, however, that no
deadly weapon had been in his way, for the infu-
riated chief was raging about without one. Sud-
denly he caught sight of an unfortunate man who
was trying to conceal himself behind a tree. Bushing
towards him, Bomata struck him a terrible blow on
the head, which knocked out the poor man's eye and
also dislocated the chief's finger. The wretched crea-
ture offered no resistance ; he did not even attempt
to parry the blow. Indeed, firom what Bill said, I
found that he might consider himself lucky in having
escaped with his life, which would certainly have
been forfeited had the chief been possessed of a dub
at the tima

''Have these wretched creatures no law among them-
selves," said I, ''which can restrain such wickedness ?"

" None," replied BilL " The chief's word is law.
He might kill and eat a dozen of his own subjects
any day for nothing more than his own pleasure, and
nobody would take the least notice of it."

THE CORAL ISLAND. 315

This ferodous deed took place within sight of our
party as we wended our way to the beach, but I
could not observe any other expression on the faces
of the men than that of total indifference or contempt.
It seemed to me a veiy awM thing that it should
be possible for men to come to such hardness of heart
and callousness to the sight of bloodshed and violence ;
but, indeed, I began to find that such constant expo-
sure to scenes of blood was having a slight effect
upon myself, and I shuddered when I came to think
that I, too, was becoming callous.

I thought upon this subject much that night while
I walked up and down the deck during my hours of
watch ; and I came to the conclusion that if I, who
hated, abhorred, and detested such bloody deeds as I
had witnessed within the last few weeks, could so
soon come to be less sensitive about them, how little
wonder that these poor ignorant savages, who were
bom and bred in fomilkrity therewith, should think
nothing of them at all, and should hold human life
in so yery slight esteem.

316 THS GO&AI ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXVI.

lOschlef brewing— My blood la made to run cold— EtU oonanlftationa and wkked
reaolyes— Bloody BiU attempts to do good and fUla-Tlie attack— WIMeaale
murder— The flight— The eecape.

Next morning I awoke with a feverifih brow and a
feeling of deep depression at my heart ; and the more
I thought on my unhappy fate, the more wretched
and miserable did I feel.

I was surromided on all sides by human beings of
the most dreadful character, to whom the shedding
of blood was mere pastima On shore were the na-
tives, whose practices were so horrible that I could
not think of them without shuddering. On board
were none but pirates of the blackest dye, who,
although not cannibals, were foul murderers, and
more blameworthy even than the savages, inasmuch
as they knew better. Even Bill, with whom I had,
under the strange circumstances of my lot, formed a
kind of intimacy, was so fierce in his nature as to
have acquired the title of ** Bloody" from his vile
companions. I felt very much cast down the more
I considered the subject and the impossibility of de-
livery, as it seemed to me, at least for a long time
to come. At last, in my feeling of utter helpless-
ness, I prayed fervently to the Almighty that he

THE OORAL ISLAKD. 317

would deliver me out of my miserable condition ; and
when I had done so I felt some degree pf comfort.

When the captain came on deck, before the hour
at which the men usually started for the woods, I
begged of him to permit me to remain aboard that
day, as I did not feel well ; but he looked at me
angrily, and ordered me, in a surly tone, to get ready
to go on shore as usual The fact was that the cap-
tain had been out of humour for some time past.
Romata and he had had some differences, and high
words had passed between them, during which the
chief had threatened to send a fleet of his war-canoes,
with a thousand men, to break up and bum the
schooner ; whereupon the captain smiled sarcastically,
and going up to the chief gazed sternly in his face,
while he said, " I have only to raise my little finger
just now, and my big gun will blow your whole vil-
lage to atoms in five minutes!'' Although the chief
was a bold man, he quailed before the pirate's glance
and threat, and made no reply ; but a bad feeling
had been raised and old sores had been opened.

I had, therefore, to go with the wood-cutters that
day. Before starting^ however, the captain called
me into the cabin, and said, —

''Here, Balph, I've got a mission for you, lad.
That blackguard Romata is in the dumps, and no-
thing will mollify him but a gift ; so do you go up

dl8 THE CORAL ISLAND.

to his house and ^ve him these whales' teeth, with
my compliments. Take with you one of the men
who can speak the language/'

I looked at the gift in some surprise, for it consisted
of six white whales' teeth, and two of the same dyed
bright red, which seemed to me very paltry things.
However, I did not dare to hesitate or ask any ques-
tions ; so, gathering them up, I left the cabin and
was soon on my way to the chief's house, accompa-
nied by Bill On expressing my surprise at the gift,
he said, —

" They're paltry enough to you or me, Balph, but
they're considered of great value by them chapa
They're a sort o' cash among them. The red ones
are the most prized, one of them bein' equal to twenty
o' the white ones. I suppose the only reason for
their bein' valuable is that there ain't many of them,
and they're hard to be got."

On arriving at the house we found Romata sitting
on a mat, in the midst of a number of large bales of
native doth and other articles, which had been brought
to him as presents from time to time by inferior
chie&. He received us rather haughtily, but on Bill
explaining the nature of our errand he became very
condescending, and his eyes glistened with satisfaction
when he received the whales' teeth, although he laid
them aside with an assumption of kingly indifference-

L

THS COSAL ISLAND. 319

" Go," said he, with a wave of the hand, — " go,
tell your captain that he may cut wood to-day, but
not to-morrow. He must come ashore, — I want to
have a palaver with him/'

As we left the house to return to the woods, BiU
shook his head :

" lliere's mischief brewin' in that black rascal's
head. I know him of old. But what comes here T*

As he spoke, we heard the sound of laughter and
shouting in the wood, and presently there issued from
it a band of savages, in the midst of whom were a
number of men bearing burdens on their shoulders.
At first I thought that these burdens were poles with
something rolled round them, the end of each pole
resting on a man's shoulder. But on a nearer ap-
proach-^ saw that they were human beings, tied
hand and foot, and so lashed to the poles that they
could not move. I counted twenty of them as they
pd.fised.

" More murder !" said BiU, in a voice that sounded
between a hoarse laugh and a groan.

" Surely they are not going to murder them f * said
I, looking anxiously into Bill's face.

" I don't know, Ealph," replied Bill, " what they're
goin' to do with them ; but I fear they mean no
good when they tie fellows up in that way."

As we continued our way towards the wood-cut

320 THE OORAL ISLAND.

ters, I observed that Bill looked anxiously over his
shoulder, in the direction where the procession had
disappeared. At last he stopped, and turning abruptly
on his heel, said, —

" I tell ye what it is, Ralph, I must be at the
bottom o' that affair. Let us follow these black
scoundrels and see what they're goin' to do.*'

I must say I had no wish to pry further into their
bloody practices ; but Bill seemed bent on it, so I
turned and went. We passed rapidly through the
bush, being guided in the right direction by the
shouts of the savages. Suddenly there was a dead
silence, which continued for some time, whHe Bill
and I involuntarily quickened our pace until we were
running at the top of our speed across the narrow
neck of land previously mentioned. As we' •reached
the verge of the wood, we discovered the savages
suiTOunding the lai^ war-canoe, which they were
apparently on the point of launching. Suddenly the
multitude put their united strength to the canoe;
but scarcely had the huge machine begun to move,
when a yell, the most appalling that ever fell upon
my ear, rose high above the shouting of the savages.
It had not died away when another and another
smote upon my throbbing ear ; and then I saw that
these inhuman monsters were actually launching their
canoe over the living bodies of their victim& But

THE CORAL ISLAND. 321

there was no pity in the breasts of these men. For-
v^ard they went in ruthless indifference, shouting as
they went, while high above their voices rang the
dying shrieks of those wretched creatures, as, one
after another, the ponderous canoe passed over them,
burst the eyeballs from their sockets, and sent the
life's blood gushing jfrom their mouths. Oh, reader,
this is no fiction. I would not, for the sake of
thrilling you with horror, invent so terrible a scene.
It was witnessed. It is true ; true as that accursed
sin which has rendered the human heart capable of
such diaboHcal enormities !

When it was over I turned round and fell upon
the grass with a deep groan ; but BiU seized me by
the arm, and lifting me up as if I had been a child,
cried, —

" Come along, lad ; let's away !" — and so, stag-
gering and stumbling over the tangled underwood,
we fled from the fatal spot.

During the remainder of that day I felt as if I

were in a horrible dream. I scarce knew what was

said to me, and was more than once blamed by the

men for idling my time. At last the hour to return

aboard came. We marched down to the beach, and

I felt relief for the first time when my feet rested on

the schooner's deck.

In the course of the evening I overheard part of

21

822 THE COBAL ISLAND.

a conversation between the captain and the first mate^
which startled me not a little. They were down in
the cabin, and conversed in an under-tone, but the
sky-light being off, I overheard every word that was
said.

" I don't half like it," said the mate. " It seems
to me that we'll only have hard fightin' and no pay."

" No pay !" repeated the captain, in a voice of sup-
pressed anger. " Do you call a good cargo aU for
nothing no pay ?"

" Very true," returned the mate ; " but weVe got
the cargo aboard. Why not cut your cable and take
French leave o* them ? What's the use o' tryin' to
lick the blackguards when itll do us no manner o'
goodr

" Mate," said the captaro, in a low voice, " you talk
like a &esh-water sailor. I can only attribute this
shyness to some strange delusion ; for surely" (his
voice assumed a slightly sneering tone as he said
this) "surely lam not to suppose that yov, have become
soft-hearted ! Besides, you are wrong in regard to
the cargo being aboard; there's a good quarter of it
lying in the woods, and that blackguard chief knows
it and wont let me take it o£ He defied us to do
our worst, yesterday."

''Defied us ! did he ?" cried the mate, with a bit-
ter laugh. " Poor contemptible thing ! "

THB CORAL ISLAKD. 323

^ And yet he seems not so contemptible but that
you are afraid to attack him/'

" Who said I was afraid V* growled the mate,
suUdly. "I'm as ready as any man in the ship.
But, captain, whut is it that you intend to do ?"

" I intend to muffle the sweeps and row the
schooner up to the head of the creek there, from
which point we can command the pile of sandal-
wood with our gun. Then I shall land with all the
men except two, who shall take care of the schooner
and be ready with the boat to take us off. We can
creep through the woods to the head of the village,
where these cannibals are always dancing round their
suppers of human flesh, and if the carbines of the men
are loaded with a heavy charge of buck-shot, we can
drop forty or fifty at the first volley. After that the
thing will be easy enough. The savages will take to
the mountains in a body, and we shall take what we
require, up anchor, and away."

To this plan the mate at length agreed. As he
left the cabin I heard the captain say, —

" Give the men an extra glass of grog, and don't
forget the buck-shot.*'

The reader may conceive the horror with which I
heard this murderous conversation. I immediately re-
peated it to Bill, who seemed much perplexed about
it. At length he said, —

324 THB COBAL ISLAND.

" 111 tell you what 111 do, Ealph: 111 swim ashore
after dark and fix a musket to a tree not far from
the place wfa^re we'll have to land, and TU tie a long
string to the trigger, so that when our fellows cross it
the/U let it off, and so alarm the^village in time to
prevent an attack, but not in time to prevent us
gettin' back to the boat; so, master captain,'^ added
Bill with a smile that for the first time seemed to me
to be mingled with good-natured cheerfulness, ''youll
be baulked at least for once in your life by Bloody
BiU."

After it grew dark, Bill put this resolve in prac-
tice. He slipped over the side with a musket in his
left hand, while with his right he swam ashore and
entered the woods. He soon returned, having ac-
complished his purpose, and got on board without
being seen, — ^I being the only one on deck.

When the hour of midnight approached the men
were mustered on deck, the cable was cut and the
muffled sweeps got out These sweeps were immensely
large oars, each requiring a couple of men to work it
In a few minutes we entered the mouth of the creek,
which was indeed the mouth of a small river, and
took about half an hour to ascend it, although the
spot where we intended to land was not more than
six hundred yards from the mouth, because there was
a slight current against us, and the mangroves which

THE OOBAh ISLAND. 325

narrowed the creek, impeded the rowers in some places.
Haying reached the spot, which was so darkened by
overhanging trees that we could see with difficulty, a
small kedge anchor attached to a thin line was let
sofUy down over the stern.

" Now, lads," whispered the captain, as he walked
along the line of men, who were all armed to the
te^th, " don't be in a hurry, aim low, and don't waste
your first shots.**

He then pointed to the boat, into which the men
crowded in silence. There was no room to row, but
oars were not needed, as a slight push against the side
of the schooner sent the boat gliding to the shore.

" There's no need of leaving two in the boat,"
whispered the mate, as the men stepped out ; " we
shall want all our hands. Let Ralph stay.''

The captain assented, and ordered me to stand in
readiness with the boat-hook, to shove ashore at a
moment's notice if they should return, or to shove off
if any of the savages should happen to approach.
He then threw his carbine into the hollow of his
arm and glided through the bushes followed by his
men. With a throbbing heart I awaited the result
of our plan. I knew the exact locality where the
musket was placed, for Bill had described it to me,
and I kept my straining eyes fixed upon the spot.
But DO sound came, and I began to fear that either

826 THE CORAL ISLAND.

they had gone in another direction or that Bill had
not fixed the string properly. Suddenly I heard a
faint dick, and observed one or two bright sparks
among the bushes. My heart immediately sank within
me, for I knew at once that the trigger had indeed
been pulled but that the pruning had not caught
The plan, therefore, had utterly failed. A feeling of
dread now began to creep over me as I stood in the
boat, in that dark, silent spot, awaiting the issue of
this murderous expedition. I shuddered as I glanced
at the water that glided past like a dark reptile. I
looked back at the schooner, but her hull was iust
Wy ™iU^ ^hil. h» i.^ ^ ,™ L
among the trees which overshadowed her. Her
lower sails were set, but so thick was the gloom that
they were quite invisible.

Suddenly I heard a shot. In a moment a thou-
sand voices raised a yell in the village; again the cry
rose on the night air, and was followed by broken
shouts as of scattered parties of men bounding into
the woods. Then I heard another shout loud and
dose at hand. It was the voice of the captain curs-
ing the man who had fired the premature shot.
Then came the order, " Forward,'* followed by the
wild hurrah of our men, as they charged the savages.
Shots now rang in quick succession, and at last a loud
volley startled the echoes of the woods. It was fol-

THB CORAX ISLAND. 327

lowed by a multitude of wild shrieks, which were im-
mediately drowned in another " hurrah '^ &om the
men ; the distance of the sound proving that they
were driving their enemies before them towards the
sea.

While I was listening intently to these sounds,
which were now mingled in confusion, I was startled
by the rustling of the leaves not far from me. At
first I thought it was a party of savages who had ob-
served the schooner, but I was speedily undeceived
by observing a body of natives — ^apparently several
hundreds, as far as I could guess in the uncertain
light — bounding through the woods towards the
scene of battle. I saw at once that this was a party
who had out-flanked our men, and would speedilj
attack them in the rear. And so it turned out, for,
in a short time, the shouts increased ten-fold, and
among them I thought I heard a death-cry uttered
by voices fii.Tm'1ift.r to my ear.

At length the tumult of battle ceased, and, from
the cries of exultation that now arose from the savages,
I felt assured that our men had been conquered. I
was immediately thrown into dreadful consternation.
What was I now to do ? To be taken by the savages
was too hoirible to be thought of; to flee to the
mountains was hopeless, as 1 should soon be dis-
covered ; and to take the schooner out of the creek

828 THB OOBAL ISIAND.

without asdstance was impossible. I resolved, how-
ever, to make the attempt, as being my only hope,
and was on the point of pushing off when my hand
was stayed and my blood chilled by an appalling
shriek in which I recognised the voice of one of the
crew. It was succeeded by a shout from the savages.
Then came another, and another shriek of agony,
making my ears to tingle, as I felt convinced they
were murdering the pirate crew in cold blood. With
a bursting heart and my brain whirling as if on fire,
I seized the boat-hook to push from shore when a
man sprang from the bushes.

" Stop ! Ralph, stop ! — ^there now, push off,'* he
cried, and bounded into the boat so violently as nearly
to upset her. It was Bill's voice ! In another mo-
ment we were on board, — ^the boat made &st, the
Une of the anchor cut, and the sweeps run out. At
the first stroke of Bill's giant arm the schooner was
nearly pulled ashore, for in his haste he forgot that I
could scarcely move the unwieldy oar. Springing to
the stem he lashed the rudder in such a position as
that, while it aided me, it acted against him, and so
rendered the force of our strokes nearly equal The
schooner now began to glide quickly down the creek,
but before we reached its mouth, a yell from a thou-
sand voices on the bank told that we were discovered
Instantly a number of the savages plunged iuto the

THE CORAL ISLAND. 329

water and swam towards us ; but we were making so
much way that they could not overtake us. One,
however, an immensely powerful man, succeeded in
laying hold of the cut rope that hung from the stem,
and clambered quickly upon deck. Bill caught sight
of liim the instant his head appeared above the taff-
rail. But he did not cease to row, and did not ap-
pear even to notice the savage until he was within a
jrard of him ; then, dropping the sweep, he struck
hiTTi a blow on the forehead with his clenched fist
that feUed him to the deck. Lifting him up he
hurled him overboard and resumed the oar. But
now a greater danger awaited us, for the savages had
outrun us on the bank and were about to plunge
into the water ahead of the schooner. If they suc-
ceeded in doing so our &te was sealed. For one
moment Bill stood irresolute. Then, drawing a pistol
&om his belt, he sprang to the brass gun^ held the
pan of his pistol over the touch-hole and fired. The
shot was succeeded by the hiss of the cannon's priming,
then the blaze and the crashing thunder of the mon-
strous gun burst upon the savages with such deafen-
ing roar that it seemed as if their very mountains
had been rent asunder.

This was enough. The moment of surprise and hesi-
tation caused by the unwonted sound, gave us time to
pass the point; a gentle breeze, which the dense foliage

880 THE CORAL ISLAND.

had hitherto prevented us from feeling, bulged out
our sails ; the schooner bent before it, and the shouts
of the disappointed savages grew fainter and fainter
in the distance as we were slowly wailed Out to
sea.

TAB OOBAI. ISLAND 331

CHAPTER XXVn.

Reflectiiona— The wounded man— The squall— Troe consolation- Death.

Thebe is a power of endurance in human beings, both
in their bodies and in their minds, which, I have often
thought, seems to be wonderfully adapted and exactly
proportioned to the circumstances in which individuals
may happen to be placed, — ^a power which, in most
cases, is sufficient to carry a man through and over
eveiy obstacle that may happen to be thrown in his
path through life, no matter how high or how steep
the mountam may be, but which often forsakes him
the moment the summit is gained, the point of
difficulty passed ; and leaves him prostrated, with
energies gone, nerves unstrung, and a feeling of in-
capacity pervading the entire frame that renders the
most trifling effort almost impossible.

During the greater part of that day I had been
subjected to severe mental and much physical excite-
ment, which had almost crushed me down by the
time I was relieved from duty in the course of the
evening. But when the expedition, whose failure
has just been narrated, was planned, my anxieties
and energies had been so powerfully aroused that I
went through the protracted scenes of that terrible

832 THB GOBAL ISLAND.

nigbt without a feeling of the slightest fisitigue. My
mind and body were alike active and ftdl of energy.
No sooner was the last thrilling fear of danger past,
however, than my faculties were utterly relaxed;
and, when I felt the cool breezes of the Pacific play-
ing around my fevered brow, and heard the free
waves rippling at the schooner's prow, as we left the
hated idand behind lis, my senses forsook me and I
fell in a swoon upon the deck.

From this state I was quickly aroused by Bill, who
shook me by the arm, saying, —

" Hallo ! Balph, boy, rouse up, lad, we're safe now.
Poor thing, I believe he's feinted." And raising me
in his arms he laid me on the folds of the gaff-top-
sail, which lay upon the deck near the tiller. ** Here,
take a drop o' this, it'll do you good, my boy," he
added, in a voice of tenderness which I had never
heard him use before, while he held a brandy-flask to
my lips.

I raised my eyes gratefully, as I swallowed a
mouthful ; next moment my head sank heavily upon
my arm and I fell fast asleep. I slept long, for when
I awoke the sun was a good way above the horizon.
I did not move on first opening my eyes, as I felt a
delightful sensation of rest pervading me, and my
eyes were riveted on and charmed with the goigeous
splendour of the mighty ocean, that burst upon my

THX COSAL ISLAND. 883

sight It was a dead oalin; the sea seemed a sheet
of undulating crystal, tipped and streaked with the
safiron hues of sunrise, which had oot yet merged in-
to the glowing heat of noon ; and there was a deep
calm in the blue dome above, that was not broken
even by the usual flutter of the sea-fowL How long
I would have lain in contemplation of this peacefcd
scene I know not, but my mind was recalled suddenly
and painfally to the past and the present by the sight
of Bill, who was seated on the deck at my feet with
his head reclining, as if in sleep, on his right arm,
which rested on the tiller. As he. seemed to rest
peacefully I did not mean to disturb him, but the
slight noise I made in raising myself on my elbow
caused him to start and look round.

" Well, Balph, awake at last, my boy ; you have
slept long and soundly," he said, turning towards me.

On beholding his countenance I sprang up in anx-
iety. He was deadly pale, and his hair, which hung in
dishevelled locks over his face, was clotted with blood.
Blood also stained his hoUow cheeks and covered the
front of his shirt, which, with the greater part of his
dress, was torn and soiled with mud

" Oh, BiU !" said I, with deep anxiety, " what is
the matter with you? You aro ill. You must have
been wounded.**

'' Even so, lad,'* said Bill, in a deep soft voice, while

384 THE CORAL ISLAND.

he extended his huge frame on the couch from which
I had just risen. " I've got an ugly wound, I fear,
and I've been waiting for you to waken, to ask you
to get me a drop o' brandy and a mouthful o' bread
&om the cabin lockers. Tou seemed to sleep so
sweetly, Balph, that I didn't like to disturb you.
But J don't feel up to much just now."

I did not wait till he had done talking, but ran
below immediately, and returned in a few seconds
with a bottle of brandy and some broken biscuit.
He seemed much refreshed after eating a few morsels
and drinking a long draught of water mingled with
a little of the spirit& Inmiediately afterwards he
feU asleep, and I watched him anxiously until he
awoke, being desiroiu of knowing the nature and
extent of his wound.

*' Ha! " he exclaimed, on awaking suddenly, after a
slumber of an hour, *' I'm the better of that nap, Balph ;
I feel twice the man I was ; " and he attempted to rise,
but sank back again immediately with a deep groan.

" Nay, Bill, you must not move, but lie still while
I look at your wound. I'U make a comfortable bed
for you here on deck, and get you some breakfieust
After that you shall teU me how you got ii Cheer
up. Bill," I added, seeing that he turned his head
away ; '* youll be all right in a little, and I'll be a
capital nurse to you though I'm no doctor."

TEE CORAL ISULKD. 335

I then left him, and lighted a fire in the caboose.
While it was kindling, I went to the steward's pan-
try and procured the materiak for a good breakfiast,
with which, in little more than half an hour, I re-
turned to my companion. He seemed much better,
and smiled ki^dly on me as I set before him a cup
of coffee and a tray with several eggs and some
bread on it.

" Now then, Bill," said I, cheerfully, sitting down
beside him on the deck, "leV& fall to. I'm veiy
hungry myself, I can tell you ; but — I forgot — ^your
wound," I added, rising ; " let me look at it."

I found that the wound was caused by a pistol
shot in the chest It did not bleed much, and, as it
was on the right side, I was in hopes that it might
not be very serious. But Bill shook his head.
" However," said he, " sit down, Balph, and I'll tell
you all about it.

" Tou see, after we lefb the boat an' began to push
through the bushes, we went straight for the line of
my musket, as I had expected; but by some unlucky
chance it didn't explode, for I saw the line torn
away by the men's legs, and heard the dick o' the
lock; so I £ajicy the priming had got damp and didn't
catch. I was in a great quandary now what to do,
for I couldn't concoct in my mind, in the hurry, any
good reason for firin' off my piece. But they say

336 THE OOBiX ISLAm>.

necessity's the mother of invention ; so, just as I was
givin' it up and dinchin' my teeth to bide the worst
o't, and take what shotQd come, a sudden thought
came into my head. I stepped out before the rest,
seemin' to be awful anxious to be at the savetges,
tripped my foot on a fallen tree, plunged head foremost
into a bush, an*, ov coorse, my carbine exploded !
Then came such a screechin' from the camp as I never
heard in all my life. I rose at once, and was rushin'
on with the rest when the captain called a hali

" ' You did that a-purpose, you villain ! ' he said,
with a tremendous oath, and, drawin' a pistol from
his belt, let fly right into my breast. I feU at once,
and remembered no more till I was startled and
bit)ught round by the most awful yell I ever heard
in my life,-€xcept, maybe, the shrieks o' them poor
critters that were crushed to death imder yon big
canoa Jumpin' up, I looked round, and, through
the trees, saw a fire gleamin' not far off, the light o'
which showed me the captain and men tied hand and
foot, each to a post, and the savages dandn* round
them like demons. I had scarce looked for a second,
when I saw one o' them go up to the captain
flourishing a knife, and, before I could wink, he
plunged it into his breast, while another yell, like
the one that roused me, rang upon my ear. I didn't
wait for more, but, bounding up, went crashing

^

THB COBAL ISLAND 337

through the bushes mto the woods. The black fel-
lows caught sight of me, however, but not m time
to prevent me jumpin* into the boat, as you know/'

Bill seemed to be much exhausted after this re-
cital, and shuddered frequently during the narrative,
so I refrained: <from continuing the subject at that
time, and endeavoured to draw his mind to other
things.

" But now. Bill," said I, " it behoves us to think
about the future, and what course of action we shall
pursua Here we are, on the wide Pacific, in a well-
appointed schooner, which is our own, — ^at least no
one has a better daim to it than we have, — and the
world lies before us. Moreover, here comes a breeze,
so we must make up our minds which way to steer."

"Ealph, boy," said my companion, "it matters
not to me which way we go. I fear that my time
is short now. Go where you will. I'm content" .

" Well then. Bill, I think we had better steer to
the Coral Island, and see what has become of my
dear old comrades, Jack and Peterkin. I believe the
island has no name, but the captain once pointed it
out to me on the chart, and I marked it afterwards;
so, as we know pretty well our position just now, I
think I can steer to it. Then, as to working the
vessel, it is true I cannot hoist the sails single-
handed, but luckily we have enough of sail set al-

22

Sd8 THE OORAL ISLAND.

ready, and if it should come on to blow a squaD, I
could at least drop the peaks of the main and fore
sails, and dew them up partially without help, and
throw her head dose into the wind, so as to keep
her all shaking till the violence of the squall is past.
And if we have continued light breezes, I'll rig up a
complication of blocks and fix them to the topHsail
halyards, so that I shall be able to hoist the sails
without help. 'Tis true I'll require half a day to
hoist them, but we don't need to mind thai Then
I'll make a sort of erection on deck to screen you
from the sun, Bill ; and if you can only manage to
sit beside the tiller and steer for two hours every
day, so as to let me get a nap, I'll engage to let you
off duty all the rest of the twenty-four houra And
if you don't fed able for steering. 111 lash the helm
and heave to, while I get you your breakfasts and
dinners; and so we'll manage famously, and soon
reach the Coral Idand."

Bill smiled faintly as I ran on in this strain.

" And what will you do," said he, " if it comes on
to blow a storm?"

This question silenced me. while I considered
what I should do in such a case. At length I laid
my hand on his arm, and said, " Bill, when a man
has done all that he ca/n, do, he ought to leave the
rest to God/'

THB COSAL ISLAND. 3S9

"Oh, Ralph," said my companion, in a faint
voice, looking anxiously into my face, " I wish that
I had the feelin's about God that you seem to
have, at this hour. I'm dyin', Ralph ; yet I, who
have braved death a hundred times, am a&aid to
die. I'm a&aid to enter the next world. Some-
tliing within teUs me there wiU be a reckoning
when I go there. But it's all over with me, Ralph.
I feel that there's no chance o' my bein' saved"

"Don't say that. Bill," said I, in deep compas-
sion, " don't say thai I'm quite sure there's hope
even for you, but I can't remember the words of
the Bible that make me think so. Is there not a
Bible on board. Bill ? "

" No ; the last that was in the ship belonged to
a poor boy that was taken aboard against his wilL
He died, poor lad, I think, through ill treatment
and fear. After he was gone the captain found
his Bible and flung it overboard."

I now reflected, with great sadness and self-re-
proach, on the way in which I had neglected my
Bible ; and it flashed across me that I was actually
in the sight of God a greater sinner than this blood -
Btained pirate ; for, thought I, he tells me that
he never read the Bible, and was never brought
up to care for it; whereas I was carefully taught
to read it by my own mother, and had read it

840 THE CORAL ISLAND.

daily as long as I possessed one, yet to so little
purpose that I could not now caU to mind a single
text that would meet this poor man's case, and
afford him the consolation he so much required I
was much distressed, and taxed my memory for a
long time. At last a text did flash into my mind,
and I wondered much that I had not thought of it
before.

" Bill," said I, in a low voice, " * Believe on the
Lord Jesus Cihrist and thou shalt be saved.' "

" Ay, Balph, IVe heard the missionaries say that
before now, but what good can it do me ? It's not
for me that. It's not for the likes o' me."

I knew not now what to say, for, although I felt
sure that that word was for him as well as for me, I
could not remember any other word whereby I could
prove it.

After a short pause, BiU raised his eyes to mine
and said, " Ralph, I've led a terrible life. I've been
a sailor since I was a boy, and I've gone from bad
to worse ever since I left my father's roof I've
been a pirate three years now. It is true I did not
choose the trade, but I was inveigled aboard this
schooner and kept here by force till I became reck-
less and at last joined them. Since that time my
hand has been steeped in human blood again and
again. Your young heart would grow cold if I — ;

THE COSAL ISLAND 84]

but why should I go on ? 'Tis of no use, Balph ; my
doom is fixed/*

" Bill," said I, " ' Though your sins be red like
crimson, they shall be white as snow/ ' Only be-
Ueve/ "

" Only believe ! " cried Bill, starting up on his
elbow ; " IVe heard men talk o' believing as if it
was easy. Ha ! 'tis easy enough for a man to point
to a rope and say, ' I believe that would bear my
weight ; ' but 'tis another thing for a man to catch
hold o' that rope, and swing himself by it over the
edge of a precipice ! "

The energy with which he said this, and the action
with which it was accompanied, were too much for
BilL He sank back with a deep groan. As if the
very elements sympathized with this man's sufferings,
a low moan came sweeping over the sea.

'' Hist ! Balph,'' said Bill, opening his eyes ;
"there's a squall coming, lad Look alive, boy.
dew up the forensaiL Drop the main-sail peak.
Them squalls come quick sometimes/'

I had already started to my feet, and saw that a
heavy squall was indeed bearing down on us. It
had hitherto escaped my notice, owing to my being
so much engrossed by our conversation. I instantly
did as Bill desired, for the schooner was still lying
motionless on the glassy sea. I observed with some

342 THE CORAL ISLAND.

satisfaction that the squall was bearing down on the
larboard bow, so that it would strike the vessel in
the position in which she would be best able to
stand the shock. Having done my best to shorten
sail, I retiumed aft, and took my stand at the helm.

" Now, boy/' said Bill, in a fidnt voice, " keep her
dose to the wind."

A few seconds afterwards he said, *' Ralph, let me
hear those two texts again."

I repeated them.

" Are ye sure, lad, ye saw them in the Bible?"

" Quite sure," I replied

Almost before the words had left my Ups the
wind burst upon us, and the spray dashed over our
decks. For a time the schooner stood it bravely,
juid sprang forwaxd against the rising sea like a war-
horse. Meanwhile clouds darkened the sky, and the
sea began to rise in huge billows. There was still
too much sail on the schooner, and, as the gale in-
creased, I feared that the masts would be torn out
of her or carried away, while the wind whistled and
shrieked through the strained rigging. Suddenly
the wind shifted a point, a heavy sea struck us on
the bow, and the schooner was almost laid on her
beam-ends, so that I could scarcely keep my legs.
At the same moment Bill lost his hold of the belay-
ing-pin which had served to steady him, and lie slid

THE OOHAL ISLAND. 843

with stiuming violence against the sky-light As he
lay on the deck close beside me, I could see that the
shock had rendered him insensible, but I did not
dare to quit the tiQer for an instant, as it required
all my faculties, bodily and mental, to manage the
schooner. For an hour the blast drove us along,
while, owing to the sharpness of the vessel's bow and
the press of canvass, she dashed through the waves
imtead of breasting over 'them, thereby drenching
the decks with water fore and aft At the end of
that time the squall passed away, and left us rocking
on the bosom of the agitated sea.

My first care, the instant I could quit the helm,
was to raise Bill from the deck and place him on the
couch. I then ran below for the brandy bottle and
rubbed his face and hands with it, and endeavoured
to pour a little down his throat But my effortcf,
although I continued them long and assiduously, were
of no avail ; as I let go the hand which I had been
chafing it fell heavily on the deck. I laid my hand
over his heart, and sat for some time quite motion-
less, but there was no flutter there — ^the pirate was
dead !

844 THE OORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXVUL

Alone <m the deep— NecessUy the mother of inventioii— A valuable book dl B oov or e d
—Natural phenomenon— A bright day In mj history.

It was with feelings of awe, not muningled with fear,
that I now seated myself on the cabin sky-light and
gazed upon the rigid features of my late comrade, while
my mind waodered over his past history and con-
templated with anxiety my present position. Alone !
in the midst of the wide Pacific, having a most im-
perfect knowledge of navigation, and in a schooner
requiring at least eight men as her proper crew.
But I will not tax the reader's patience with a
minute detail of my feelings and doings during the
first few days that followed the death of my com-
panion. I will merely mention that I tied a cannon
ball to his feet and, with feelings of the deepest sor-
row, consigned him to the deep.

For folly a week after that a steady breeze blew
from the east, and, as my course lay west-and-by-
north, I made rapid progress towards my destination.
I could not take an observation, which I veiy much
regretted, as the captain's quadrant was in the cabin;
but^ &om the day of setting sail £rom the island of
the savages, I had kept a dead reckoning, and as I
knew pretty well now how much lee- way the schooner

THK CORAL ISLAND. 345

made, I hoped to hit the Coral Island without much
difficulty. In this I was the more confident that I
knew its position on the chart (which I understood
was a veiy good one), and so had its correct bear-
ings by compass.

As the weather seemed now quite settled and fine,
and as I had got into the trade-winds, I set about
preparations fbr hoisting the top-sails. This was a
most arduous task, and my first attempts were com-
plete failures, owing, in a great degree, to my repre-
hensible ignorance of mechanical forces. The first
error I made was in applying my apparatus of blocks
and pulleys to a rope which was too weak, so that the
very first heave I made broke it in two, and sent me
staggering against the afber-hatch, over which I trip-
ped, and, striking against the main-boom, tumbled
down the companion ladder into the cabin. I was
much bruised and somewhat stunned by this untoward
accident. However, I considered it fortunate that I
was not kiQed. In my next attempt I made sure of
not coming by a similar accident, so I unreeved the
t&ckling and fitted up larger blocks and ropes. But
although the principle on which I acted was quite
correct, the machineiy was now so massive and heavy
that the mere Motion and sti£5aess of the thick cordage
prevenwd me firom moving it at alL Afterwards,
however, I came to proportion things more correctly ;

346 THE OORAJL ISLAND.

but I could not avoid reflecting at the time how much
better it would have been had I learned all this from
observation and study, instead of waiting till I was
forced to acquire it through the painful and tedious
lessons of experience.

After the tackling was prepared and in good work-
ing order, it took me the greater part of a day to
hoist the main-top sail. As I could not steer and
work at this at ijie same time, I lashed the helm in
such a position that, with a little watching now and
then, it kept the schooner in her proper course. By
this means I was enabled also to go about the deck
and down below for things that I wanted, as occa-
sion required ; also to cook and eat my victuals.
But I did not dare to trust to this plan during the
three hours of rest that I allowed myself at night,
as the wind might have shifted, in which case I
should have been blown fiar out of my course ere I
awoke. I was, therefore, in the habit of hea/oing-to
during those three hours ; that is, fixing the rudder
and the sails in such a position as that by acting
against each other, they would keep the ship sta-
tionary. After my night's rest, therefore, I had only
to make allowance for the lee-way she had made,
and so resume my course.

Of course I was to some extent anxious lest an-
other squall should come, but I made the best pro-

THE CORAI. ISLAND 347

viisdon I oould in the drcumstanoes, and concluded
that by letting go the weather-braces of the top-
sails and the top-sail halyards at the same time, I
should thereby render these sails almost powerless.
Besides this, I proposed to myself to keep a sharp
look-out on the barometer in the cabin, and if I ob-
served at any time a sudden fall in it, I resolved that
I would instantly set about my multiform appliances
for reducing sail, so as to avoid being taken at un-
awares. Thus I sailed prosperously for two weeks,
with a fair wind, so that I calculated I must be
drawing near to the Coral Island ; at the thought of
which my heart bounded with joyful expectation.

The only book I found on board, after a careful
search, was a volume of Captain Cook's voyages.
This, I suppose, the pirate captain had brought with
him in order to guide him, and to furnish him with
ioformation regarding the islands of these seas. I
found this a most deHghtful book indeed, and I not
only obtaiued much interesting knowledge about the
sea in which I was sailing, but I had many of my
own opinions, derived from experience, corroborated;
and not a few of them corrected. Besides the read-
ing of this charming book, and the daily routine of
occupations, nothing of particular note happened to
me during this voyage, except once, when on rising
one night, after my three hours' nap, while it was

f

848 THE CORAL ISLAND.

yet dark, I was <imazed and a little alarmed to find
myself floating in what appeared to be a sea of blue
fire ! I had often noticed the beautiful appearance of
phosphorescent light, but this far exceeded anything
of the sort I ever saw before. The whole sea
appeared somewhat like milk, and was remarkably
luminous.

I rose in haste, and, letting down a bucket into
the sea, brought some of the water on board and took
it down to the cabin to examine it; but no sooner
did I approach the light than the strange appearance
disappeared, and when I removed the cabin lamp the
luminous light appeared again. I was much puzzled
with this, and took up a littie of the water in the
hollow of my hand and then let it run off, when I
found that the luminous substance was left behind
on my palm. I ran with it to the lamp; but when I
got there it was gone. I found, however, that when
I went into the dark my hand shone again ; so I took
the large glass of the ship's telescope and examined
my hand minutely, when I found that there were
on it one or two small patches of a dear, transparent
substance like jelly, which were so thin as to be al-
most, invisible to the naked eye. Thus I came to
know that the beautifiil phosphoric light, which I
had 80 often admired before, waa caused by animals,
for T had no doubt that these were of the same kind

THE COBAL ISLAND. 849

as the medussd or jelly-fish which are seen in all parts
of the world.

On the evening of my fourteenth day, I was
awakened out of a nap into which I had fiJlen by a
loud cry, and starting up, I gazed around me. I
was surprised and delighted to see a large albatross
soaring majestically over the ship. I immec^tely
took it into my head that this was the albatross I had
seen at Penguin Island. I had, of course, no good
reason for supposing this, but the idea occurred to me,
I know not why, and I cherished it, and regarded
the bird with as much affection as if he had been an
old Mend. He kept me company all that day and
left me as night fell.

Next morning as I stood motionless and with
heavy eyes at the helm, for I had not slept well, I
began to weary anxiously for day-light, and peered
towards the horizon, where I thought I observed
something like a black doud against the dark sky.
Being always on the alert for squalls, I ran to the
bow. There could be no doubt it was a squall, and
as I listened I thought I heard the murmur of the
coming gale. Instantly I began to work might and
main at my cumbrous tackle for shortening sail, and
in the course of an hour and a half had the most of
it reduced, — ^the top-sail yards down on the caps, the
top-sails clewed up, the sheets hauled in, the main

350 THE CORAL ISLAND.

and fore peaks lowered, and the flying-jib down.
While thus engaged the dawn advanced, and I cast
an occasional furtive glance ahead in the midst of
my labour. But now that things were prepared for
the worst, I ran forward again and looked anxiously
over the bow. I now heard the roar of the waves
distii}ctly, and as a single ray of the rising sun
gleamed over the ocean I saw — ^what ! could it be
that I was dreaming? — ^that magnificent breaker with
its ceaseless roar ! — that mountain top ! — ^yes, once
more 1 beheld the Coral Island !

THK CORAL ISLAND. 351

CHAPTER XXIX.

The effect of a cannon-ahot— A happy reunion of a somewhat molat natnre~-Retro-
spects and explanations— An awftil dire— New plans— The last of the Coral Island.

1 ALBiOST fell upon the deck with the tumult of
mingled emotions that filled my heart, as I gazed
ardently towards my beautiful island. It was stiU
many miles away, but sufficiently near to enable me
to trace distinctly the well-remembered outlines of
the two mountains. My first impulse was to utter
an exclamation of gratitude for being carried to my
former happy home in safety ; my second, to jump up,
clap my hands, shout, and run up and down the deck,
with no other object in view than that of giving vent
to my excited feelings. Then I went below for the
telescope, and spent nearly ten minutes of the utmost
impatience in vainly trying to get a focus, and in
rubbing the skin nearly off my eyes, before I dis-
covered that having taken off the large glass to ex-
amine the phosphoric water with I had omitted to
put it on again.

After that I looked up impatiently at the sails,
which I now regretted having lowered so hastily, and
for a moment thought of hoisting the main top sail
again ; but recollecting that it would take me full
ha]f a day to accomplish, and that, at the present rate

852 THE COBAL ISLAND. •

of sailing, two hoars would bring me to the island, I
immediately dismissed the idea.

The remainder of the tune I spent in making fever-
ish preparations for arriving and seeing my dear com-
rades. I remembered that they were not in the
habit of rising before six, and, as it was now only
three, I hoped to arrive before they were awake.
Moreover, I set about making ready to let go the
anchor, resolving in my own mind that, as I knew
the depth of water in the passage of the reef and
within the lagoon, I would run the schooner in and
bring up opposite the. bower. Fortunately the anchor
was ha.nging at the cat-head, otherwise I should never
have been able to use it Now, I had only to cut
the tackling, and it would drop of its own weight.
After searching among the flags, I found the terrible
black one, which I ran up to the peak. While I was
doing. this, a thought struck me. I went to the
powder magazine, brought up a blank cartridge and
loaded the big brass gun, which, it will be remembered,
was unhoused when we set sail, and, as I had no
means of housrog it, there it had stood, bristling
alike at &ir weather and foul aU the voyage. I took
care to grease its mouth well, and, before leaving the
fore part of the ship, thrust the poker into the fire.

All was now ready. A steady five-knot breeze
was blowing, so that I was now not more than

THE CORAL ISLAND. 858

quarter of a mile from the reef. I was soon at the
entrance, and, as the schooner glided quickly through,
I glanced affectionately at the huge breaker, as if it
had been the same one I had seen there when I bade
adieu, as J feared for ever, to the island. On coming
opposite the Water Qarden, I put the helm hard down.
The schooner came round with a rapid, graceful bend,
and lost way just opposite the bower. Running
forward, I let go the anchor, caught up the red-hot
poker, applied it to the brass gun, and saluted the
mountains with a ha/rig^ such as had only once before
broke their slumbering echoes !

Effective although it was, however, it was scarcely
equal to the bang with which, instantly after, Peter-
kin bounded from the bower, in scanty costume, his
eye-balls starting from his head with surprise and
terror. One gaze he gave, one yeU, and then fled
into the bushes like a wild cat. The next moment
Jack went through exactly the same performance,
the only difference being, that his movements were
less like those of Jack-in-the-box, though not less
vigorous and rapid than those of Feterkin.

" Hallo ! " I shouted, almost mad with joy, " what,
ho! PeterkinI Jack! hallo! it's mc.'"

My shout was just in time to arrest them. They

halted and turned round, and, the instant I repeated

the cry, I saw that they recognised my voice, by both

23

854 THE CORAL ISLAND.

of them running at full speed towards the beach. I
could no longer contain myself Throwing off my
jacket, I jumped overboard at the same moment that
Jack bounded into the sea. In another moment we
met in deep water, clasped each other round the neck,
and sank, as a matter of course, to the bottom! We
were well-nigh choked, and instantly struggled to
the BurfiEtce, where Feterkin was spluttering about
like a wounded duck, laughing and crying by ttmB,
and choking himself with salt water !

It would be impossible to convey to my reader,
by description, an adequate conception of the scene
that followed my landing on the beach, as we stood
embracing each other indiscriminately iu our drip-
xAns s^arments, and fdvine utterance to incoherent
^S mingled ^^wild shouta It can be
more easily imagined than described, so I will draw
a curtain over this part of my history, and carry the
reader forward over an interval of three days.

During the greater part of that period Feterkin
did nothing but roast pigs, toro, and bread-fruit, and
ply me with plantains, plums, potatoes, and cocoa-
nuts, while I related to him and Jack the terrible
and wonderful adventures I had gone through since
we last met. After I had finished the account, they
made me go all over it again ; and, when I had
concluded the second recital, I had to go over it

THE CORAL ISLAND. 855

again, while they ooinmented upon it piecemeal
They were much affected by what I told them of
the probable fate of Avatea, and Feterkin could by
no means brook the idea of the poor ^1 being con-
verted into a Umg pig! As for Jack, he clenched
his teeth, and shook his fist towards the sea, saying
at the same time, that he was sorry he had not
broken Tararo's head, and he only hoped that one
day he should be able to plant his knuckles on the
bridge of that chiefs nose ! After they had '^pumped
me dry," as Feterkin said, I begged to be informed
of what had happened to them during my long
absence, and particularly as to how they got out of
the Diamond Cave.

" Well, you must know," began Jack, " after you
had dived out of the cave, on the day you were
taken away from us, we waited very patiently for
half aa hour, not expecting you to return before the
end of that time. Then we began to upbraid you
for stajdng so long, when you knew we would be
anxious; but when an hour passed, we became
alarmed, and I resolved at all hazards to dive out,
and see what had become of you, although I felt for
poor Feterkin, because, afi he truly said, 'K you
never come back, I'm shut up here for life.' How-
ever, I promised not to run any risk, and he let me go ;
whidfc, to say truth, I thought very courageous of him!"

856 THB CORAL ISTJkND.

" I should just think it was !" interrupted Peter-
kin, looking at Jack over the edge of a monstrous
potato which he happened to be devouring at the
time.

" Well," continued Jack, " you may guess my con-
sternation when you did not answer to my halloo.
At first I imagined that tne pirates must have killed
you, and left you in the bush, or thrown you into
the sea ; then it occurred to me that this would have
served no end of theirs, so I came to the conclu-
sion that they must have carried you away with
them. As this thought struck me, I observed the
pirate schooner standing away to the nor'ard, almost
buU-down on the horizon, and I sat down on the
rocks to watch her as she slowly sank fix)m my sight
And I tell you, Ralph, my boy, that I shed more
tears that time, at losing you, than I have done, I
verily believe, all my life before — "

*' Pardon me. Jack, for interrupting," said Feterkin ;
"surely you must be mistaken in that; youVe often
told me that, when you were a baby, you used to
howl and roar fix)m morning to—"

" Hold your tongue, Peterkin," cried Jack. " Well,
after the schooner had disappeared, I dived back into
the cave, much to Peterkin's relief and told him
what I had seen. We sat down and had a long talk
over this matter, and then we agreed to miike a

THE CORAL ISLAND 357

regular, systematic search through the woods, so as to
make sure, at least, that you had not been killed
But now we thought of the difficulty of getting out
of the cave without your help. Feterkin became
dreadfully nervous when he thought of this ; and I
must confess that I felt some alarm, for, of coturse, I
could not hope alone to take him out so quickly as
we two together had brought him in; and he him-
self vowed that, if we had been a moment longer
with him that time, he would have had to take a
breath of salt water. However, there was no help
for it, and I endeavoured to calm his fears as well as
I could: 'for,' said I, 'you can't live here, Peterkin;'
to whidi he replied, ' Of coiu^se not, Jack, I can only
die here, and, as that's not at all desirable, you had
better propose something/ So I suggested that he
should take a good long breath, and trust himself to
me.

"'Might we not make a large bag of cocoa-nut
cloth, into which I could shove my head, and tie it
tight round my neck?' he asked, with a haggard
smile. ' It might let me get one breath under water !'

" ' No use,' said I ; ' it would fill in a moment and
suffocate you. I see nothing for it, Feterkin, if you
really can't keep your breath so long, but to let me
knock you down, and carry you out while in a state
of insensibility.'

S58 THE CORAL ISLAND.

*' Bufc Peterkin didn't relish this idea. He seemed
to fear that I could not be able to measure the exact
force of the blow, and might, on the one hand, hit
him so softly as to render a second or third blow
necessary, which would be very uncomfortable; or, on
the other hand, give him such a smash as would en-*
tirely spoil his figure-head, or, mayhap, knock the
life out of him altogether ! At last I got him per-
suaded to try to hold his breath, and commit him-
self to me ; so he agreed, and down we went. But
I had not got him half way through, when he began
to struggle and kick like a wild hvlL, burst from my
grasp, and hit against the roof of the tunnel I waa
therefore, obliged to force him violently back into
the cave again, where he rose panting to the surface.
In short, he had lost his presence of mind, and — *'

" Nothing of the sort," cried Peterkin, indignantly,
" I had only lost my wind; and if I had not had
presence of mind enough to kick as I did, I should
have bu'st in your arms !"

" Well, well, so be it," resumed Jack, with a smile,
" but the upshot of it was, that we had to hold an-
other consultation on the point, and I really believe
that, had it not been for a happy thought of mine,
we should have been consulting there yet"

" I wish we had," again interrupted Peterkin with
a sigh. " I'm sure, Ealph, if I had thought that you

THE CORAL ISLAND. 359

were coming back again, I would willingly have
awaited your return for months, rather than have
endured the mental agony which I went through !
But proceed."

" The thought was this," continued Jack, " that I
should tie Feterkin's hands and feet with cords, and
then lash him firmly to a stout pole about five feet
long, in order to render him quite powerless, and
keep him straight aid stiff You should have seen
his £Etce of horror, Balph, when I suggested this: but
he came to see that it was his only chance, and told
me to set about it as fast as I could; 'for,' said he,
' this is no jokin'. Jack, / can tell you, and the sooner
it's done the better/ I soon procured the cordage
and a suitable pole, with which I returned to the
cave, ajid lashed him as stiff and straight as an
Egyptian miuumy; and, to say truth, he was no bad
representation of what an EngUsh mummy would be,
if there were such things, for he was as white as a
dead man."

" * Now,' said Peterkin, in a tremulous voice^ * swim
with me as near to the edge of the hole as you can
before you dive, then let me take a long breath, and,
as I sha'nt be able to speak after I've taken it,
you'll watch my fisbce, and the moment you see me
wink — dive! And oh !' he added, earnestly, *pray
don't be long !'

t(60 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" I promised to pay the strictest attention to hifl
wishes, and swam with him to the outlet of the cave.
Here I paused * Now then,' said I, * puU away at
the wind, lad.'"

Peterkin drew in a breath so long that I could
not help thinking of the frog in the fable, that wanted
to swell itself as big as the ox. Then I looked into
his foje eaornestiy. Slap went the M of his right eye;
down went my head, and up went my heels. We
shot through the passage like an arrow, and rose to
the surfia.ce of the open sea before you could count
twenty!

''Peterkin had taken in such an awfiil load of
wind that, on reaching the &ee air, he let it out with
a yell loud enough to have been heard a mile off,
and then, the change' in his feelings was so sudden
and great, that he did not wait till we landed, but
began, tied up as he was, to shout and sing for joy
as I supported him with my left arm to the shore.
However, in the middle of a laugh that a hysBua
might have envied, I let him accidentally slip, which
extinguished him in a moment.

''After this happy deliverance, we immediately
began our search for your dead body, Balph, and you
have no idea how low our hearts sank as we set off,
day after day, to examine the valleys and mountain
Bides with the utmost care. In about three weeks

THE CORAL ISLAND. 361

we completed the survey of the whole island, and
had at least the satisfieuAion of knowing that you had
not been killed. But it occurred to us that you
might have been thrown into the sea, so we examined
the sands and the lagoon carefully, and afterwards went
all round the outer reef. One day, while we were
updn the reef,Peterkin espied a small dark object lying
among the rocks, which seemed to be quite different
from the surrounding stones. We hastened towards
the spot, and found it to be a small keg. On knocking
out the head we disoovered that it was gunpowder."

'* It was I who sent you that. Jack," said I, with
a smile.

" Fork out I " cried Feterkin, energetically, startiag
to his feet and extending his open hand to Jack.
" Down with the money, sir, else I'll have you shut
up for life in a debtor's prison the moment we return
to England!"

"1*11 give you an I.O.U. in the meantime," re-
turned Jack, laughing, " so sit down and be quiet
The fact is, Balph, when we discovered this keg of
powder, Feterkin immediately took me a bet of a
thousand pounds that you had something to do with
it, and I took him a bet of ten thousand that you
had not.

" Feterkin was right then,'' said I, explaining how
the thing had occurred.

362 THE CORAL ISLAND.

" Well, we found it very useful," continued Jack ;
'' although some of it had got a little damp; and we
furbished up the old pistol, with which Feterkin is a
crack shot now. But, to continua We did not find
any other vestige of you on the reef, and, finally,
gave up all hope df ever seeing you again. After
this the island became a dreary place to us, and we
began to long for a ship*to heave in sight and take
us off But now that you're back again, my dear
fellow, it looks as bright and cheerful as it used to
do, and I love it as much as ever."

" And now," continued Jack, '' I have a great
desire to visit some of the other islands of the South
Seas. Here we have a first-rate schooner at our dis-
posal, so I don't see what should hinder us."

" Just the very thing I was going to propose,"
cried Peterkin; " I vote for starting at once."

" Well, then," said Jack, " it seems to me that we
could not do better than shape our course for the
island on which Avatea lives, and endeavour to per-
suade Tararo to let her many the black fellow to
whom she is engaged, instead of making a long pig
of her. If he has a spark of gratitude in him hell
do it. Besides, having become champions for this
girl once before, it behoves us, as true knights,
not to rest until we set her free; at least, all the
heroes in all the story-books I have ever read

THB CORAL ISLAND. S63

would count it foul disgrace to leave such a work
unfinished."

** I'm sure I don't know, or care, what your knights
in story-books would do/' said Peterkin, " but I'm
certain that it would be capital fim, so I'm your
man whenever you want ma"

This plan of Jack's was quite in accordance with
his romantic, impulsive nature; and, having made up
his mind to save this black girl, he could not rest
until the thing was commenced.

'' But there may be great danger in this attempt/'
he said, at the end of a long consultation on the sub-
ject; " will you, lads, go with me in spite of this?"

" (3o with you?" we repeated in the same breath.

" Can you doubt it ?" said I.

" For a moment," added Peterkin.

I need scarcely say that, having made up our
minds to go on this enterprise, we lost no time in
making preparations to quit the island ; and as the
schooner was well laden with stores of every kind
for a long cruise, we had little to do except to add
to our abundant supply a quantity of cocoa-nuts,
bread-finit^ taro, yams, plums^ and potatoes, chiefly
with the view of carrying the fragrance of our dear
island along with us as long as we could.

When all was ready, we paid a fEurewell visit to
the different familiar spots where most of our time

864 THK CORAL ISLAND.

had been spent. We ascended the mountain top,
and gazed for the last time at the rich green foliage
in the valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid
lagoon, and the barrier ooraJ-reef with its crested
breakera Then we descended to Spouting Cliff, and.
looked down at the pale-green monster which we had
made such firuitless efforts to spear in days gone by.
From this we hurried to the Water Garden and took
a last dive into its dear waters, and a last gambol
amongst its coral groves. I hurried out before my
companions, and dressed in haste, in order to have a
long examination of my tank, which Peterkin, in the
fulness of his heart, had tended* with the utmost care,
as being a vivid remembrancer of me, rather than
out of love for natural history. It was in superb
condition ; — ^the water as dear and pdludd as crystal ;
the red and green sea-weed of the most brilliant hues ;
the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped anemones
fuUyexp<mded,aud stretching out their arms as if to
welcome and embrace their former master; the star-
fish, zoophytes, sea-pens, and other innumerable
marine insects, looking fresh and beautiful; and the
crabs, as Peterkin said, looking as wide awake^ im-
pertinent^ rampant^ and pugnadous as ever. It was
indeed so lovdy and so interesting that I would
scarcely allow myself to be torn away from it.

Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected

THE CORAL ISLAND. 365

the few axtides we possessed, such as the axe, the
pencil-case, the b^oke^ telescope, the pen-knife, the
hook made from the brass ring, and the sail-needle,
with which we had landed on the island ; — ^also, the
long bootsand the pistol, besides several curious articles
of costume which we had manufactured from time to
time.

These we conveyed on board in our little boat,
after having carved our names on a chip of iron-wood,
thus: —

JACK BfAKTIN, :>:^
RALPH BOVER, i
PETERKIN GAY,

which we fixed up inside of the bower. The boat
was then hoisted on board and the anchor weighed;
which latter operation cost us great labour and much
time, as the anchor was so heavy that we could not
move it without the aid of my complex machinery of
blocks and puUeya A steady breeze was blowing
off shore when we set sail, at a little before sunset.
It swept ud quickly past the reef and out to sea.
The shore grew rapidly more indistinct as the shades
of evening fell, while our clipper bark bounded lightly
over the waves. Slowly the mountain top sank on
the horizon, until it became a mere speck. In an-
other moment the sun and the Coral Island sank
together into the broad basom of the Pacific.

866 THB CORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXX.

rhe voyage— llie idand, and a consultation in irhich danger Is scouted as a thing
unworthy of consideration— Rats and eats— The native teacher— A wftil reTel»>
tions— Wonderftil effects of Christianity.

OuB voj^e during the next two weeks was most inter-
esting and prosperous. The breeze continued generally
^iedr, and at all times enabled us to lie our course; for
being, as I have said before, dipper-built, the pirate
schooner could lie very close to the wind, and made
little lee-way. We had no difficulty now in manag-
ing our sails, for Jack was heavy and powerful, while
Peterkin was active as a kitten. StiU, however, we
were a very insufficient crew for such a vessel, and
if any one had proposed to as to make suchavoyage
in it before we had been forced to go through so
many hardships from necessity, we would have turned
away with pity from the individual making such
proposal as from a madman. I pondered this a
good deal, and at last concluded that men do not
know how much they are capable of doing till they
try, and that we should never give way to despair
in any undertaking, however difficult it may seem: —
always supposing, however, that our cause is a good
one, and that we can ask the divine blessing on it.
Although, therefore, we could now manage our sails

THE CORAL 18LAKD. 367

easily, we nevertheless found that my pulleys were
of much service to us in some things; though Jack
did laugh heartily at the uncouth arrangement of
ropes and blocks, which had, to a sailor's eye, a very
lumbering and clumsy appearance. But I will not
drag my reader through the details of this voyage.
Suffice it to say, that, after an agreeable sail of about
three weeks, we arrived off the island of Mango,
which I recognised at once fix)m the description that
the pirate, Bill, had given me of it during one of our
conversations.

As soon as we came within sight of it we hove the
ship to, and held a council of war.

"Now, boys," said Jack,aswe seated ourselves beside
him on the cabin sky-light, '' before we go farther in
this business, we must go over the pros and cons of
it; for, although you have so generously consented to
stick by me through thick and thin, it would be un-
fair did I not see that you thoroughly understand the
danger of what we are about to attempt/'

" Oh ! bother the danger," cried Peterkin; " I won-
der to hear i/ou. Jack, talk of danger. When a fellow
begins to talk about it, he'll soon come to magnify it
to such a degree that he'll not be fit to fEice it when
it comes, no more than a suckin' baby !"

" Nay, Peterkin," replied Jack, gravely, " I won't
be jested out of it. I grant you, thai when we've

30b THE COBAL ISLAMIC

once resolved to act, and have made up our mindfl
what to do, we should think no more of danger.
But, before we have so resolved, it behoves us to look
at it straight in the face, and examine into it^ and
walk round it; for if we flinch at a distant view, we're
sure to run away when the danger is near. Now, I
understand from you, Balph, that the island is in-
habited by thorough-going, out-and-out cannibals»
whose principal law is — 'Might is right, and the
weakest goes to the wall?"'

'' Tes," said I, '' so Bill gave me to understand.
He told me, however, that, at the southern aide of
it, the missionaries had obtained a footing amongst
an insignificant triba A native teacher had been
sent there by the Wesleyans, who had succeeded in
persuading the chief at that part to embrace Chris-
tianity. But instead of that being of any advantage
to our enterprise, it seems the very reverse; for the
chief Tararo is a determined heathen, and persecutes
the Christians, — ^who are fSaf too weak in numbers
to offer any resistance, — and looks with dislike upon
all white men, whom he regards as propagators of
the new feiith."

'* 'Tis a pity," said Jack, " that the Christian tribe
is so small, for we shall scarcely be safe under their
protection, I fear. If Tararo takes it into his head
to wish for our vessel* or to kill ourselves, he could

THE CORAL ISLAND. 369

take us from them by force. Tou say that the
native missionary talks English ?"

" So I believe/'

" Then, what I propose is this*' said Jack : " We
will run round to the south side of the island, and
cast anchor off the Christian village. We are too
far away just now to have been descried by any of
the savages, so we shall get there unobserved, and
have time to arrange our plans before the heathen
tribes know of our presenca But, in dohxg this, we
run the risk of being captured by the ill-disposed
tribes, and being very ill used, if not — a — "

" Roasted alive and eaten,'* cried Peterkin, "Come,
out with it. Jack; according to your own showing,
it's well to look the danger straight in the face I"

"Well, that is the worst of it, certainly. Are
you prepared, then, to take your chance of that ? "

" I've been prepared and had my mind made up
long ago," cried Peterkin, swaggering about the deck
with his hands thrust into his breeches' pockets.
" The fact is. Jack, I don't believe that Tararo will
be so ungrateful as to eat us; and I'm quite sure
that he'll be too happy to grant us whatever we
ask: so the sooner we go in and win the better."

Peterkin was wrong, however, in his estimate of

savage gratitude, as the sequel will show.

The schooner was now put before the wind, and,

24

870 THK OORAL ISLAND.

after making a long run to the south'ard, we put
about and beat up for the south side of Mango,
where we arrived before sunset, and hove-to off the
coral reef Here we awaited the arrival of a canoe,
which immediately put off on our rounding to.
When it arrived, a mild-looking native, of apparently
forty years of age, came on board, and, taking off
his straw hat, made us a low bow. He was clad in
a respectable suit of European clothes; and the first
words he uttered, as he stepped up to Jack and shook
hands with him, were, —

" Good day, gentlemen ; we are happy to see you
at Mango— you are heartily welcome.''

After rettuning his salutation, Jack exclaimed,
" You must be the native missionary teacher of whom
I have heard — ^are you not V*

" I am. I have the joy to be a servant of the
Lord Jesus at this station.''

" You're the very man I want to see, then," re-
plied Jack; "that's lucky. Come down to the
cabin, Mend, and have a glass of wine. I wish
particularly to speak with you. My men there"
(pointing to Peterkin and me) "will look after your
people."

"Thank you," said the teacher, as he followed
Jack to the cabin, "I do not drink wine or any
strong drink."

THB CORAL ISLAND. 371

" Oh! then, there's lots of water, and you can have
biscuit."

" Now, 'pon my word, that's cool I" said Peterkin;
" his Tnen, forsooth 1 WeU, since we are to be men,
we may as well come it as strong over these black
chaps as we can. Hallo, there!" he cried to the
half dozen of natives who stood upon the deck, gazing
in wonder at all they saw, " here's for you ;" and he
handed them a tray of broken biscuit and a can of
water. Then, thrusting his hands into his pockets,
he walked up and down the deck with an enormous
swagger, wlmUing vodferomly.

In about half an hour Jack and the teacher came
on deck, and the latter, bidding us a cheerful good
evening, entered his canoe and paddled to the shore.
When he was gone, Peterkin stepped up to Jack,
and, touching his cap, said, —

"Well, captain, have you any communications to
make to your Tnen?"

"Yes," cried Jack; "ready about, mind the helm
and clew up your tongue, while I con the schooner
through the passage in the reef The teacher, who
seems a first-rate fellow, says it's quite deep, and
good anchorage within the lagoon dose to the shore."

While the vessel was slowly advancing to her
anchorage, imder a light breeze, Jack explained to us
that Avatea was still on the island, living amongst

372 THX CORAL ISLAin>.

the heathens; that she had expressed a strong desire to
join the Christians^ but Tararo would not let her, and
kept her constantly in dose confinement.

" Moreover," continued Jack, " I find that she
belongs to one of the Samoan Islands, where Chris-
tianity had been introduced long before her capture
by the heathens of a neighbouring isLmd; aiid the
very day after she was taken, she was to have joined
the church which had been planted there by that
excellent body, the London Missionary Society. The
teacher tells me, too, that the poor girl has fallen in
love with a Christian chief, who lives on an island
some fifty miles or so to the south of this one, and
that she is meditating a desperate attempt at escape.
So, you see, we have come in the nick of time. I fancy
that this chief is the- fellow whom you heard of,
Balph, at the Island of Emo. Besides all this, the
heathen savages are at war among themselves, and
there's to be a battle fought th^ day after to-morrow,
in which the principal leader is Tararo; so that we'll
not be able to commence our negotiations with the
rascally chief till the day after."

The village off which we anchored was beautifully
situated at the head of a small bay, fix)m the margin
of which trees of every description peculiar to the
tropics rose in the richest luxuriance to the summit
of a hilly ridge, which was the line of demarcation

THE CORAL ISLAND. 373

between the possessions of the Christians and those
of the neighbouring heathen chief

The site of the settlement was an extensive plot
of flat land, stretching in a gentle slope from the sea
to the moimtain. The cottages stood several hundred
yards from the beach, and were protected frt)m the
glare of the sea by the rich foliage of rows of large
Barringtonia and other trees, which girt the shore.
The village was about a mile in length, and perfectly
straight, with a wide road down the middle, on either
side of which were rows of the tufbed-topped ti tree,
whose delicate and beautiful blossoms, hanging be-
neath their plume-crested tops, added richness to the
scene. The cottages of the natives were built beneath
these trees, and were kept in the most excellent order,
each having a little garden in front, tastefully laid
out and planted, while the walks were covered with
black and white pebbles.

Every house had doors and Venetian windows,
painted partly with lamp black made from the candle-
nut, and partly with red ochre, which contrasted
powerfully with the dazzling coral lime that covered
the walls. On a prominent position stood a hand-
some church, which was quite a curiosity in its way.
It waa a hundred feet long by fifty broad, and was
seated throughout to accommodate upwards of two
thousand persons. It had six large folding doors

374 THE CORAL ISLAND.

and twelve windows with Venetian blinds ; and,
although a large and substantial edifice, it had been
built, we were told by the teacher, in the space of
two months ! There was not a single iron nail in
the fiibric, and the natives had constructed it chiefly
with their stone and bone axes and other tools,
having only one or two axes or tools of European
manufacture. Everything around this beautiful
spot wore an aspect of peace and plenty, and, as we
dropped our anchor within a stone's cast of the sub-
n^Z coral .harf, I could not avoid coni^i^ it
with the wretched village of Emo, where I had wit-
nessed so many frightful scenea When the teacher
afterwards told me that the people of this tribe had
become converts only a year previous to our arrival,
and that they had been living before that in the
practice of the most bloody system of idolatry, I
could not re&ain from exclaiming, ''What a con-
vindng proof that Christianity is of God !»

On landing from our little boat, we were received
with a warm welcome by the teacher and his wife ;
the latter being also a native, clothed in a simple
European gown and straw bonnet. The shore was
Uned with hundreds of natives, whose peraons were
all more or less clothed with native doth. Some of
the men had on a kind of poncho formed of this doth,
their legs being imcovered. Others wore diunsily-

THE GOEAL ISLAITP. 375

fashioned trousers, and no upper garment except hats
made of straw and doth. Many of the dresses, both
of women and men, were grotesque enough, being
very bad imitations of the European garb; but all
wore a dress of some sort or other. They seemed
very glad to see us, and crowded roimd us as the
teacher led the way to his dwelling, where we were
entertained, in the most sumptuous manner, on baked
pig and all the varieties of fruits and vegetables that
the island produced. We were much annoyed, how-
ever, by the rats: they seemed to run about the
house like domestic animals. As we sat at table,
one of them peeped up at us over the edge of the
doth, dose to Peterkin's elbow, who floored it with
a blow on the snout from his knife, exclaiming as
he did so—

"I say. Mister Teacher, why don't you set traps
for these brutes ? — surely you are not fond of them !"

" No," replied the teacher, with a smUe ; "we would
be glad to get rid of them if we could; but if we
were to trap all the rats on the island, it would
occupy our whole time/'

"Are they, then, so numerous?" inquired Jack.

" They swarm everywhere. The poor heathens on
the north side eat them, and think them very sweet.
So did my people formerly; but they do not eat so
many now, because the missionary who was last here

376 THE COBAL ISLiJn).

expressed disgust at it. The poor people asked if it
was wrong to eatrats; and he told them that it was
certainly not wrong, but that the people of England
would be much disgusted were they asked to eat rats."

We had not been an hour in the house of this
kind-hearted man when we were convinced of the
truth of his statement as to their numbers, for the
rats ran about the floors in dozens, and, during our
meal, two men were stationed at the table to keep
them off!

" What a pity you have no cats," said Peterkin,
as he aimed a blow at another reckless intruder, and
missed it.

"We would, indeed, be glad to have a few," re-
joined the teacher, " but they are difficult to be got.
The hogs, we find, are very good rat-killers, but they
do not seem to be able to keep the numbers down.
I have heard that they are better than cats."

As the teacher said this, his good-natured black
face was wrinkled with a smile of merriment.
Observing that I had noticed it, he said: —

" I smiled just now when I remembered the &te
of the first cat that was taken to Earatonga. This
is one of the stations of the London Missionary
Society. It, like our own, is infested with rats, and
a cat was brought at last to the island. It was a
large black one. On being turned loose, instead of

THE COBAL ISLAND. 377

being content to stay among men, the cat took to
the mountains, and lived in a wild state, sometimes
paying visits during the night to the houses of the
natives; some of whom, living at a distance from
the settlement, had not heard of the cat's arrival, and
were dreadfully frightened in consequence, calling it
a * monster of the deep,' and flying in terror away
from it One night the cat, feeling a desire for
company, I suppose, took its way to the house of a
chiej^ who had recently been converted to Christi-
anity, and had begun to learn to read and pray.
The chiefs wife, who was sitting awake at his side
while he slept, beheld with horror two fires glisten-
ing in the doorway, and heard with surprise a m3rs-
terious voice. Almost petrified with fear, she awoke
her husband, and began to upbraid him for foraaking
his old religion, and burning his god, who, she
declared, was now come to be avenged of them.
'Get up and pray! get up and pray!* she cried.
The chief arose, and, on opening his eyes, beheld the
same glaring lights, and heard the same ominous
sound. Impelled by the extreme urgency of the
case, he conunenced, with all possible vehemence, to
vociferate the alphabet, as a prayer to God to deliver
them from the vengeance of Satan! On hearing
this, the cat, as much alarmed as themselves, fled
precipitately away, leaving the chief and his wife

378 THE CORAL ISLAND.

congratulating themselyes on the efficacy of their
prayer/'

We were much diverted with this anecdote, which
the teacher related in English so good, that we cer-
tainly could not have supposed him a native but for
the colour of his £Bbce and the foreign accent in his
tone. Next day we walked out with this interesting
man, and were much entertained and instructed by
his conversation, as we rambled through the cool
shady groves of bananas, citrons, limes, and other
trees, or sauntered among the cottages of the natives,
and watched them while they laboured diligently in
the taro beds, or manufitctured the tapa or native
dotL To some of these Jack put questions through
the medium of the missionary; and the replies were
such as to surprise us at the extent of their know-
ledge. Indeed, Peterkin very truly remarked that
" they seemed to know a considerable deal more than
Jack himself!"

Among other pieces of interesting information
that we obtained was the following, in regard to
coral formations : —

" The islands of the Pacific," said our Mend, ** are
of three different kinds or dassea Those of the
first class are volcanic, mountainous, and wild ; some
shooting their jagged peaks into the clouds at an
elevation of ten and fifteen thousand feet Those of

THE COBAL ISLAND, 379

the second dass are of crystaJized limestone, and vary
in height from one hundred to five hundred feet.
The hills on these are not so wild or broken as those
of the first class, but are richly clothed with vegeta-
tion, and very beautiful I have no doubt that the
Coral Island on which you were wrecked was one of
this dass. They are supposed to have been upheaved
from the bottom of the sea by volcanic agency, but
they are not themselves volcanic in their nature,
neither are they of coral formation. Those of the third
dass are the low coralline islands usually having la-
goons of water in their midst ; they are very numerous,
"As to the manner in which coral islands and reefs
are formed; there are various opinions on this point.
I win give you what seems to me the most probable
theory, — a theory, I may add, which is held by some
of the good and sdentific missionariea It is well
known that there is much lime in salt water; it is
also known that coral is composed of lime. It is
supposed that the polypes, or coral insects, have the
power of attracting this lime to their bodies ; and
with this material they bmld their little cells or
habitations. They choose the summit of a volcano,
or the top of a submarine mountain, as a foimdation
on which to build; for it is found that they never
work at any great depth below the surfaca On
this they work ; the polypes on the mountain top, of

380 THE CORAL ISLAND.

course, reach the surfjBtce firsts then those at the outer
edges reach the top sooner than the others between
them and the centre, thus forming the coral reef sur-
rounding the lagoon of water and the central island ;
after that the insects within the lagoon cease working.
When the surface of the water is reached, these myriads
of wonderful creatures die. Then birds visit the spot,
and seeds are thus conveyed thither, which take root,
and spring up, and flourish. Thus are conunenced those
coral-line islets of which you have seen so many in
these seas. The reefe round the lajge islands are
formed in a similar manner. When we consider,'' added
the missionary, '' the smallness of the architects used
by our heavenly Father in order to form those lovely
and innumerable islands, we are filled with much of
that feeling which induced the ancient king to
exclaim, ' How manifold, Qod, are thy works! in
wisdom thou hast made them alL' "

We all heartily agreed with the missionary in this
sentiment, and felt not a little gratified to find that
the opinions which Jack and I had been led to form
irom personal observation on our Coral Island were
thus to a great extent corroborated.

The missionary also gave us an accoimt of the
manner in which Christianity had been introduced
among them. He said: ''When missionaries were
first sent here, three years ago, a small vessel brought

THB OORAL ISLAND. 381

tliem ; and the chief^ who is now dead, promised to
treat well the iwcf native teachers who were left with
their wives on the island. But scarcely had the
boat which landed them returned to the ship, than
the natives began to maltreat their guests, taking
away all they possessed, and offering them further
violence, so that, when the boat was sent in haste to
fetch them away, the clothes of both men and women
were torn nearly off their backs.

''Two years after this the vessel visited them
again, and I, being in her, volunteered to land alone,
without any goods whatever; begging that my wife
might be brought to me the following year, — ^that
is, this year; and, as you see, she is with me. But
the surf was so high that the boat could not land
me ; so with nothing on but my trousers and shirt,
and with a few catechisms and a Bible, besides some
portions of the Scripture translated into the Mango
tongue, I sprang into the sea^ and swam ashore on
the crest of a breaker. I was instantly dragged up
the beach by the natives; who, on finding I had
nothing worth having upon me, let me alone. I
then made signs to my Mends in the ship to leave
me ; which they did. At first the natives listened to
me in silence, but laughed at what I said while I
preached the gospel of our blessed Saviomr Jesus
Christ to them. Afterwards they treated me ill

382 THE CORAL ISLAND.

sometimes; but I persevered, and continued to dwell
among them, and dispute, and exhort them to give
up their sinful ways of life, bum their idols, and
come to Jesus.

'^ About a month after I landed, I heard that the
chief was dead. He was the father of the present
chiet who is now a most consistent member of the
church. It is a custom here that, when a chief dies,
his wives are strangled and buried with him. Know-
ing this, I hastened to his house to endeavour to
prevent such cruelty if possible. When I arrived, 1
found two of the wives had already been killed, while
another was in the act of being strangled. I pleaded
hard for her, but it was too late; she was ah^ady
dead. I then entreated the son to spare the fourth
wife ; and, after much hesitation, my prayer was
granted: but, in half an hour afterwards, this poor
woman repented of being unfaithful, as she termed
it, to her husband, and insisted on being strangled ;
which was accordingly done.

" All this time the chief's son was walking up and
down before his father's house with a brow black as
thunder. When he entered, I went in with him,
and found, to my surprise, that his Either was not
dead! The old man was sitting on a mat in a oor-
her, with an expression of placid resignation on bis
Gstce.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 883

" * Why/ said I, * have you strangled your father's
wives before he is dead?'

" To this the son replied, ' He is dead. That is

*

no longer my &ther. He is as good as dead now.
He is to be bwried alive'

"I now remembered having heard that it is a
custom among the Feejee islanders, that when the
reigning chief grows old or infirm, the heir to the
chieftainship has a right to depose his father; in
which case he is considered as dead, and is buried
alive. The young chief was now about to follow
this custom, and, despite my earnest entreaties and
pleadings, the old chief was buried that day before
my eyes in the same grave with his four strangled
wives ! Oh ! my heart groaned when I saw this, and
I prayed to God to open the hearts of these poor
creatures, as he had already opened mine, and pour
into them the light and the love of the gospel of
Jesus. My prayer was answered very soon. A
week afterwards, the son, who was now chief of the
tribe, came to me, bearing his god on his shoulders,
and groaning beneath its weight Flinging it down
at my feet, he desired me to bum it I

"You may conceive how overjoyed I was at this.
I sprang up and embraced him, while I shed tears of
joy. Then we made a fire, and burned the god to
ashes, amid an immense concourse of the peopie, who

884 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Eeemed terrified at what was being done^ and shrank
back when we burned the god, expecting some signal
vengeance to be taken upon us; but seeing that
nothing happened, they changed their minds, and
thought that our Ood must be the true one after all
From that time the mission prospered steadily, and
now, while there is not a single man in the tribe
who has not burned his household gods, and become
a convert to Christianity, there are not a few, I hope,
who are true followers of the Lamb, having been
plucked as brands from the burning by E[im who
can save unto the uttermost I will not tell you
more of our progress at this time, but you see," he
said, waving hia hand aionnd him, "the village and
the church did not exist a year ago !''

We were indeed much interested in this account,
and I could not help again in my heart praying God to
prosper those missionary societies that send such in-
estimable blessings to these islands of dark and bloody
idolatry. The teacher also added that the other tribes
were very indignant at this one for having burned its
gods, and threatened to destroy it altogether, but
they had done nothing yet; "and if they should,'*
said the teacher, " the Lord is on oiur side; of whom
shall we be a&aid?*'

" Have the missionaries many stations in these
seas?" inquired Jack

THE COBAL ISLAND. 885

" Oh, yes. The London Missionary Society have
a great many in the Tahiti group, and other islands
in that quarter. Then the Wesleyans have the
Feejee Islands all to themselsres, and the Americans
have many stations in other groups. But still, my
friend, there are hundreds of islands here the natives
of which have never heard of Jesus, or the good word
of God, or the Holy Spirit ; and thousands are living
and dying in the practice of those terrible sins and
bloody murders of which you have already heard
I trust, my friends," he added, looking earnestly into
our faces, " I trust that if you ever return to Eng-
land, you will teU your Christian friends that the
horrors which they hear of in regard to these islands
are UteraUy true, and that when they have heard
the worst, the ' half has not been told them ; ' for there
are perpetrated here foul deeds of darkness of which
man may not speak. Tou may also tell them," he
said, looking aroimd with a smile, while a tear of
gratitude trembled in his eye and rolled down his
coal-black cheek, — "tell them of the blessings that
the gospel has wrought here!"

We assured our friend that we would certainly

not forget his request. On returning towards the

village, about noon, we remarked on the beautiful

whiteness of the cottages.

That is owing to the lime with which they are

25

386 THE CORAL ISLAKD.

plastered/' said the teacher. " When the natives
were converted, as I have described, I set them to
work to build cottages for themselves, and also this
handsome church which you see. When the frame-
work and other parte of the houses were up, I
sent the people to fetch coral from the sea. They
brought immense quantities. Then I made them cut
wood, and, piling the coral above it, set it on fire.
. "'Look! look!' cried the poor people, in amaze-
ment ; ' what wonderful people the Christians axe !
He is roasting stonea We shall not need taro or
bread-fruit any more ; we may eat stones !'

''But their surprise was still greater when the
coral was reduced to a fine soft white powder. They
immediately set up a great shout, and, Tningling
the lime with water, rubbed their faces and their
bodies all over with it, and ran through the village
screaming with delight. They were also much sur-
prised at another thing they saw me do. I wished
to make some household furniture, and constructed a
turning-lathe to assist me. The first thing that I
turned was the leg of a sofa ; which was no sooner
finished than the chief seized it with wonder and
delight, and ran through the village exhibiting it to
the people, who looked upon it with great admiration.
The chief then, tying a string to it, hung it round
his neck as an ornament! He afterwards told me

it*

THE CORAL ISLAND. 887

that if he had seen it before he became a Christian,
he would have made it his god !"

Aa the teacher concluded this anecdote we reached
his door. Saying that he had business to attend to,
he left us to amuse ourselves as we best could.

" Now, lads," said Jack, turning abruptly towards
us, and buttoning up his jacket as he spoke, ''I'm
off to see the battle. I Ve no particular fondness for
seein' blood-shed, but I must find out the nature o'
these fellows and see their customs with my own
eyes, so that I may be able to speak of it again, if
need be, authoritatively. It's only six miles off, and
we don't run much more risk than that of getting a
rap with a stray stone or an over-shot arrow. WiU
you go?"

" To be sure we wiU," said Peterkin.
^^ " If they chance to see us we'll cut and run for it,"

v^ added Jack.

^ " Dear me ! " cried Peterkin, — ** yov, run ! I

J thought you would scorn to run from any one."

" So I would, if it were my duty to fight," returned
Jack, coolly ; " but as I don't want to fight, and don't
intend to fight, if they offer to attack us I'll run away
like the veriest coward that ever went by the name
of Peterkin. So come along."

4

888 TH1B CORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXXI.

A sfcrango and Idoody balile— The lion bearded in his den—Frightflil sosnee of

cruelty, and fean for the ftitore

We had ascertained &om the teacher the direction
to the spot on which the battle was to be fought,
and after a walk of two hours reached it. The sum-
mit of a bare hill was the place chosen ; for, imlike
most of the other islanders, who are addicted to bush-
fighting, those of Mango are in the habit of meeting
on open ground. "We arrived before the two parties
had commenced the deadly struggle, and, creeping as
close up 83 we dared among the rocks, we lay and
watched them.

The combatants were drawn up face to face, each
side ranged in rank four deep. Those in the first
row were armed with long spears ; the second, with
dubs to defend the spearmen; the third row was
composed of young men with slings ; and the fourth
consisted of women, who carried baskets of stones for
the slingers, and dubs and spears with which to supply
the warriors Soon after we arrived, the attack was
made with great fury. There was no sdence dis-
played. The two bodies of savages rushed headlong
upon each other and engaged in a general mdee, and
a more dreadful set of men I have never seen. They

THE CORAL ISLAND. 889

wore grotesque war-caps made of various substances
and decorated with feathers. Their £a<ces and bodies
were painted so as to make them look as frightful as
possible ; and as they brandished their massive dubs,
leaped, shouted, yelled, and dashed each other to the
ground, I thought I had never seen men look so like
demons before.

We were much surprised at the conduct of the
women, who seemed to be perfect furies, and hung
about the heels of their husbands in order to defend
them. One stout young woman we saw, whose hus-
band was hard pressed and about to be overcome :
she lifted a large stone, and throwing it at his oppo-
nent's head, felled him to the earth. But the battle
did not last long. The band most distant from us
gave way and were routed, leaving eighteen of their
comrades dead upon the field. These the victors
brained as they lay ; and putting some of their brains
on leaves went off with them, we were afterwards
informed, to their temples, to present them to their
gods as an earnest of the human victims who were
soon to be brought there.

We hastened back to the Christian village with
feelings of the deepest sadness at the sanguinary con-
flict which we had just witnessed*

Next day, after breakfasting with our friend the
teacher, we made preparations for carrying out our

380 THE COIUL ISLAND.

plan. At first the teacher endeavoured to dissuade
us.

" You do not know," said he, turning to Jack,
"the danger you run in venturing amongst these
ferocious savagea I feel much pity for poor Avatea ;
but you are not likely to succeed in saving her, and
you may die in the attempt."

" "Well," said Jack, quietly, " I am not a&aid to
die in a good cause."'

The teacher smUed approvingly at him a^ he said
tins, a^d after a nttle fSh^^nver^tion agreed io
accompany us as interpreter ; saying that, although
Tararo was unfriendly to him, he had hitherto treated
him with respect.

"We now went on board the schooner, having re-
solved to sail round the island and drop anchor oppo-
site the heathen village. We manned her with
natives, and hoped to overawe the savages by dis-
playing our brass gun to advantage. The teacher
soon after came on board, and setting our sails we
put to sea. In two hours more we made the cli£&
reverberate with the crash of the big gun, which we
fired by way of salute, while we ran the British en-
sign up to the peak and cast anchor. The commo-
tion on shore showed us that we had struck terror
into the hearts of the natives ; but seeing that we
did not ofier to molest them, a canoe at length put

THB CO&AL ISLAND. 391

off and paddled cautiously towards ua The teacher
showed himself, and explaining that we were Mends
and wished to palaver with the chief, desired the
native to go and tell him to come on board.

"We waited long and with much impatience for an
answer. During this time the native teacher con-
versed with us again, and told us many things con-
cerning the success of the gospel among those islands ;
and perceiving that we were by no means so much
gratified as we ought to have been at the hearing of
such good news, he pressed us more closely in regard
to our personal interest in religion, and exhorted us
to consider that our souls were certainly in as great
danger as those of the wretched heathen whom we
pitied so much, if we had not akeady found salvation
in Jesus Christ " Nay, further," he added, " if such
be your unhappy case, you are, in the sight of God,
much worse than these savages (forgive me, my
young Mends, for saying so) ; for they have no know-
ledge, no light, and do not profess to believe ; while
you, on the contrary, have been brought up in the
light of the blessed gospel and call yourselves Chris-
tians. These poor savages are indeed the enemies of
our Lord ; but you, if ye be not true believers, are
traitors!"

I must confess that my heart condemned me while
the teacher spoke in this earnest manner, and I knew

392 THE CORAL ISLAND.

not what to reply. Feterkin, too, did not seem to
like it, and I thought would willingly have escaped ;
but Jack seemed deeply impressed, and wore an
anxious expression on his naturally grave counte-
nance, while he assented to the teacher's remarks and
put to him many earnest questiona Meanwhile the
natives who composed our crew, having nothing par-
ticular to do, had squatted down on the deck and
taken out their little books containing the translated
portions of the New Testament, along with hymns
and spelling-books, and were now busily engaged,
some vociferating the alphabet, others learning prayers
off by heart, while a few sang hymns, — ^all of them
being utterly unmindful of our presence. The teacher
soon joined them, and soon afterwards they aU en-
gaged in a prayer which was afterwards translated to
us, and proved to be a petition for the success of our
undertaking and for the conversion of the heathen.

While we were thus engaged a canoe put off from
shore and several savages leaped on deck, one of
whom advanced to the teacher and informed him
that Tararo could not come on board that day, being
busy with some religious ceremonies before the gods,
which could on no account be postponed. He was
also engaged with a friendly chief who was about to
take his departure from the island, and therefore
begged that the teacher and his friends would land

THE CORAL ISLAND. 393

and pay a visit to him. To this the teacher re-
turned answer that we would land immediately.

" Now, lads," said Jack, as we were about to step
into our little boat, ** I'm not going to take any wea-
pons with me, and I recommend you to take none
either. We are altogether in the power of these
savages, and the utmost we could do, if they were to
attack us, would be to kiU a few of them before we
were ourselves overpowered. I think that our only
chance of success lies in mild measurea Don't you
think so r

To this I assented gladly, and Feterkin replied by
laying down a huge bell-mouthed blunderbuss, and
divesting himself of a pair of enormous horse-pistols
with which he had purposed to overawe the natives!
We then jumped into our boat and rowed ashore.

On reaching the beach we were received by a crowd
of naked savages, who shouted a rude welcome, and
conducted us to a house or shed where a baked pig
and a variety of vegetables were prepared for us.
Having partaken of these, the teacher begged to
be conducted to the chief; but there seemed some
hesitation, and after some consultation among them-
selves, one of the men stood forward and spoke to the
fceacher.

'' What says he V inquired Jack when the savage
had concluded.

394 THE GOBAL ISLAND.

" He says that the chief is just going to the temple
of his god and cannot see us yet ; so we must be pa-
tient, my friend."

" Well," cried Jack, rising ; " if he won't come to
see me, I'U e'en go and see him. Besides, I have a
great desire to witness their proceedings at this
temple of theirs. WiU you go with me, friend ? "

*' I cannot," said the teacher, shaking his head ;
" I must not go to the heathen temples and witness
their inhuman rites, except for the purpose of con-
demning their wickedness and folly."

** Very good," returned Jack ; " then I'll go alone,
for I cannot condemn their doings tiU I have seen
them."

Jack arose, and we, having determined to go also,
followed him through the banana groves to a rising
groxmd immediately behind the village, on the top of
which stood the Bur6, or temple, under the dark
shade of a group of iron-wood trees. As we went
through the village, I was again led to contrast the
rude huts and sheds, and their almost naked savage-
looking inhabitants, with the natives of the Christian
village, who, to use the teacher's scriptxiral expres-
sion, were now " clothed and in their right mind."

As we turned into a broad path leading towards
the hiU, we were airested by the shouts of an ap-
proaching multitude in the rear. Drawing aside

TH£ CORAL ISLAND. 395

into the bushes we awaited their coming up, and as
they drew near we observed that it was a procession
of the natives, many of whom were dancJBg and ges-
ticulating in the most frantic manner. They had an
exceedingly hideous aspect, owing to the bla(^, red,
and yellow paints with which their faces and naked
bodies were bedaubed. In the midst of these came
a band of men carrying three or four planks, on
which were seated in rows upwards of a dozen men.
I shuddered invohmtarily as I recollected the sacrifice
of human victims at the island of Emo, and turned
with a look of fear to Jack as I said, —

" Oh, Jack ! I have a terrible dread that they are
going to commit some of their cruel practices on these
wretched men. We had better not go to the temple.
We shall only be horrified without being able to do
any good, for I fear they are going to kiU them."

Jack's £gice wore an expression of deep compassion
as he said, in a low voice, " No fear, Balph ; the suf-
ferings of these poor fellows are over long ago."

I turned with a start as he spoke, and, glancing at
the men, who were now quite near to the spot where
we stood, saw that they were all dead. They were
tied firmly with ropes in a sitting posture on the
planks, and seemed, as they bent their sightless eye-
balls and grinning mouths over the dancing crew be-
low, as if they were laughing in ghastly mockery at

396 THE COBAL ISLAND.

the utter inability of their eDemies to hurt them now.
These, we discovered afterwards, were the men who
had been slain in the battle of the previous day, and
were now on their way to be first presented to the
gods, and then eaten. Behind these came two men
leading between them a third, whose hands were
pinioned behind his back. He walked with a firm
step, and wore a look of utter indifiference on his face,
as they led him along ; so that we concluded he must
be a criminal who was about to receive some slight
punishment for his £siults. The rear of the procession
was brought up by a shouting crowd of women and
chndren, with whom we mingled and foUowed to the
temple.

Here we arrived in a few minutes. The temple

9

was a tall circular building, open at one side. Around
it were strewn heaps of human bones and skulls.
At a table inside sat the priest, an elderly man,
with a long gray beard. He was seated on a stool,
and before him lay several knives, made of wood,
bone, and splinters of bamboo, with which he per-
formed his ofBice of dissecting dead bodies. Farther
in lay a variety of articles that had been dedicated
to the god, and among them were many spears and
dubs. I observed among the latter some with
human teeth sticking in them, where the victims
had been clubbed in their mouths.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 897

Belbre this temple the bodies, which were painted
with vermilion and soot, were arranged in a sitting
posture ; and a man, called a " dan-vosa " (orator),
advanced, and, laying his hands on their heads, began
to chide them, apparently, in a low bantering tone.
What he said we knew not, but, as he went on, he
waxed waim, and at last shouted to them at the top
of his limgs, and finally finished by kicking the
bodies over and running away, amid the shouts and
laughter of the people, who now rushed forward.
Seizing the bodies by a leg, or an arm, or by the hair
of the head, they dragged them over stumps and
stones and through sloughs, until they were ex-
hausted. The bodies were then brought back to the
temple and dissected by the priest, after which they
were taken out to be baked.

Close to the temple a large fire was kindled, in
which stones were heated red hot When ready
these were spread out on the ground, and a thick
coating of leaves strewn over them to slack the heat
On this " lovo," or oven, the bodies were then placed,
covered over, and left to bake.

The crowd now ran, with terrible yells, towards a
neighbouring hiU or mound, on which we observed
the fi:ame-work of a house lying ready to be erected
Sick with horror, yet fascinated by curiosity, we
staggered after them mechanically, scarce knowing

898 THE CORAL ISLAND.

where we were going or what we did, and feeling a
sort of impression that all we saw was a dreadful
dream.

Anived at the place, we saw the multitude crowd-
ing round a certain spot. We pressed forward and
obtained a sight of what they were doing. A large
wooden beam or post lay on the groimd, beside the
other parts of the frame-work of the house, and
close to the end of it was a hole about seven feet
deep and upwards of two feet wide. While we look-
ed, the man whom we had before observed with his
hands pinioned, was carried into the circle. TTi»
hands were now free, but his legs were tightly strap-
ped together. The post of the house was then placed
in the hole, and the man put in beside it. Hia
head was a good way below the surface of the hole,
and his arms were clasped roimd the post. Earth
was now thrown in xmtil all was covered over and
stamped down; and this, we were afterwards told,
was a ceremony usually performed at the dedica-
tion of a new temple, or the erection of a chief's
house !

" Come, come,'* cried Jack, on beholding this hor-
rible tragedy, "we have seen enough, enough, fiir
more than enough ! Let us go."

Jack's fitce looked ghastly pale and haggard as we
hurried back to rejoin the teacher, and I have no

THB CORAL ISLAND. 899

doubt that he felt terrible anxiety when he con-
sidered the number and ferocity of the savages, and
the weakness of the few arms which were ready in-
deed to essay, but impotent to effect, Avatea's de<
llverance &om these ruthless men.

400 THE CORAL ISLAND.

CHAPTER XXXn.

An imes^eeted diteorery, and a bold, reckless defiance, with lis consequences— PUuu

of escape, and heroic resolves.

When we returned to the shore, and related to our
Mend what had passed, he was greatly distressed,
and groaned in spuit ; but we had not sat long in
conversation, when we were interrupted by the
arrival of Tararo on the beach, accompanied by a
number of followers bearing baskets of vegetables
and fruits on their heads.

We advanced to meet him, and he expressed, through
our interpreter, much pleasure in seeing us.

"And what is it that my friends wish to say to
me r' he inquired.

The teacher explained that we came to beg that
Avatea might be spared.

" Tell him,'* said Jack, " that I consider that 1
have a right to ask tliis of him, having not only
saved the girl's life, but the lives of his own people
also ; and say that I wish her to be allowed to follow
her own wishes, and join the Christians."

While this was being translated, the chiefs brow
lowered, and we could see plainly that our request
met with no favourable reception. He replied with
considerable energy, and at some length..

THE COBAL ISLAND. 401

*' What says he ? " - inquired Jade

" I regret to say that he will not listen to the
proposal He says he has pledged his word to his
Mend that the girl shall be sent to him, and a de-
puty is even now on this island awaiting the fulfil-
ment of the pledge."

Jack bit his lip in suppressed anger. "Tell
Tararo," he exdaimed with flashing eye, « that if he
does not grant my demand, it will be worse for him.
Say I have a big gun on board my schooner that
will blow his village into the sea, if he does not give
up the girL"

"Nay, my friend," said the teacher, gently, "1
will not teU him that; we must * overcome evil with
good' "

"What does my Mend say?" inquired the chie^
who seemed nettled by Jack's looks of defianca

" He is displeased," replied the teacher.

Tararo turned away with a smile of contempt, and
walked towards the men who carried the baskets oi
vegetables, and who had now emptied the whole on
the beach in an enormous pile.

" What are they doing there ?" I inquired

" I think that they are laying out a gift which
they intend to present to some one," said the
teacher.

At this moment a couple of men appeared leading

26

402 THB CORAL ISLAND.

a young girl between them; and, going towards the
heap of fruits and vegetables, placed her on the top
of it. We started with surprise and fear, for in the
young female before us we recognised the Samoan
girrivateal

We stood rooted to the earth with surprise and
thick coming feara

** Oh ! my dear young friend," whispered the
teacher, in a voice of deep emotion, while he seized
Jack by the arm, '* she is to be made a sacrifice even
now!"

"Is she?" cried Jack, with a vehement shout,
spuming the teacher aside, and dashing over two
natives who stood in his way, while he rushed to-
wards the heap, sprang up its side, and seized Avatea
by the arm. In another moment he dragged her
down, placed her back to a large tree, and, wrench-
ing a war-dub from the hand of a native who seemed
powerless and petrified with surprise, whirled it above
his head, and yelled, rather than shouted, while his
face blazed with fury, " Come on, the whole nation
of you, an ye like it, and do your worst ! "

It seemed as though the challenge had been
literally accepted; for every savage on the ground
ran precipitately at Jack with dub and spear, and,
doubtless, would speedily have poured out his brave
blood on the sod, had not the teacher rushed in

THE OORAL TSLAND. 403

between them, and, raising his voice to its utmost,
cried —

" Stay your hands, warriors ! It is not your part
to judge in this matter. It is for Tararo, the chief, to
say whether or not the young man shall live or die."

The natives were arrested; and I know not
whether it was the gratifying acknowledgment of
his superiority thus made by the teacher, or some
lingering feeling of gratitude for Jack's fbrmer aid
in time of need, that influenced Tararo, but he stepped
forward, and, waving his hand, said to his people, —
"Desist The young man's life is mine." Then,
turning to Jack, he said, "You have forfeited your
liberty and life to me. Submit yourself, for we are
more numerous than the sand upon the shore. Tou
are but one ; why should you die ? "

"Villain !" exclaimed Jack, passionately, " I may
die, but, assuredly, I shall not perish alone. I will
not submit until you promise that thts girl shall not
be injured,"

" You are very bold," replied the chief, haughtily,
" but very foolisL Yet I will say that Avatea shall
not be sent away, at least for three days."

"You had better accept these terms," whispered
the teacher, entreatingly. If you persist in this mad
defiance, you will be slain, and Avatea will be lost.
Three days are worth having."

404 THE CORAL ISLAND.

Jack hesitated a moment, then lowered his club,
and, throwing it moodily to the ground, crossed his
arms on his breast, and hung down his head in
silence.

Tararo seemed pleased by his submission, and told
the teacher to say that he did not forget his former
services, and, therefore, would leave him free as to
his person, but that the schooner would be detained
till he had further considered the matter.

While the teacher translated this, he approached
as near to where Avatea was standing as possible,
without creating suspicion, and whispered to her a
few words in the native language. Avatea, who,
during the whole of the foregoing scene, had stood
leaning against the tree perfectly passive, and seem-
ingly quite uninterested in all that was going on,
replied by a single rapid glance of her dark eye,
which was instantly cast down again on the ground
at her feet.

Tararo now advanced, and taking the girl by the
hand, led her unresistingly away, while Jack, Peter-
kin, and I returned with the teacher on board the
schooner.

On reaching the deck, we went down to the cabin,
where Jack threw himself, in a state of great dejec-
tion, on a couch ; but the teacher seated himself by hia
side, and, laying his hand upon his shoulder, said, —

THE CORAL ISLAND. 405

"Do not give way to anger, my young Mend.
Qod has given us three days> and we must use the
means that are in our power to free this poor girl
from slavery. We must not sit in idle disappoint-
ment, we must act" —

" Act ! " cried Jack, raising himself, and tossing
back his hair wildly; '' it is mockery to talk of act-
ing when one is boimd hand and foot. How can I
act ? I cannot fight a whole nation of savages single-
handed. TeSy" he said, with a bitter smile, " I cam
fight them, but I cannot conquer them, or save
Avatea.'*

" Patience, my fiiend ; your spirit is not a good one
just now. Tou cannot expect that blessing which
alone can insure success, unless you are more sub-
missive. I will tell you my plans if you will listen."

" Listen l" cried Jack, eagerly, " of course I will,
my good fellow ; I did not know you had any plans.
Out with them. I only hope you will show me how
I can get the girl on board of this schooner, and I'd
up anchor and away in no time. But proceed with
your plans."

The teacher smiled sadly: "Ah! my friend, if
one fathom of your anchor chain were to rattle, as
you drew it in, a thousand warriors would be stand-
ing on your deck. No, no, that could not be done.
Even now, your ship would be taken fi:om you were

406 THE CORAL ISLAND.

it not that Tararo has some feeling of gratitude to-
ward you. But I know Tararo well. He is a man
of fisJBehood, as all the unconverted savages are. The
chief to whom he has promised this girl is very
powerful, and Tararo rrmet fulfil his promise. He
has told you that he would do nothing to the girl
for three days ; but that is because the party who are
to take her away will not be ready to start for three
days. Still, as he might have made you a prisoner
during those three days, I say that God has given
them to ua''

" Well, but what do you propose to do?" said Jack,
impatiently.

" My plan involves much danger, but I see no
other, and I think you have courage to brave it It
is this: There is an island about fifty miles to the
south of this, the natives of which are Christians,
and have been so for two years or more, and the
principal chief is Avatea's lover. Once there, Avatea
would be safa Now, I surest that you should
abandon your schooner. Do you think that you
can make so great a sacrifice?"

" Friend," replied Jack, " when I make up my
mind to go through with a thing of importance, I can
make any sacrifice."

The teacher smiled. " Well, then, the savages
could not conceive it possible that, for the sake of a

TBE CORAL ISLAND. 407

girl, you would voluntarily lose your fine vessel;
therefore as long as she lies here they think they
have you aU safe: so I suggest that we get a quantity
of stores conveyed to a sequestered part of the shore,
provide a small canoe, put Avatea on board, and you
three would paddle to the Christian island."

" Bravo! " cried Peterkin, springing up and seizing
the teacher's hand. "Missionary, you're a regular
brick. I didn't think you had so much in you."

"As for me," continued the teacher, "I will re-
main on board till they discover that you are gone.
Then they will ask me where you are gone to, and
I will refuse to tell."

"And whatTll be the result of that?" inquired
Jack.

" I know not. Perhaps they will kill me; but,"
he added, looking at Jack with a peculiar smile, " I
too am not a&aid to die in a good cause !"

" But how are we to get hold of Avatea?" in-
quired Jack

" I have arranged with her to meet us at a par-
ticular spot, to which I will guide you to-night.
We shall then arrange about it. She will easUy
manage to elude her keepers, who are not vei;
strict in watching her, thinking it impossible that
she could escape &om the island Indeed, I am sure
that such an idea will never enter their heads. But,

408 THB COBAL ISLAND.

as I have said, yon run great clanger. Fifty miles
in a small canoe, on the open sea, is a great voyage
to make. Ton may miss the island, too, in which,
case there is no other in that direction for a hundred
miles or more ; and if you lose your way and fall
among other heathens, you know the law of Fee-
jee — a cast-away who gains the shore is doomed to
dia You must count the cost, my young friend."

" I have counted it," replied Jack. " If Avatea
consents to run the risk, most certainly I will; and
so will my comrades also. Besides," added Jack,
looking seriously into the teacher's fiewje, "your
Bible, — our Bible, tells of One who delivers those
who call on Him in the time of trouble; who holds
the winds in his fists and the waters in the hollow
of his hand."

We now set about active preparations for the in-
tended voyage; collected together such things as we
should require, and laid out on the deck provisions
sufficient to maintain us for several weeks, purpos-
ing to load the canoe with as much as she could
hold consistently with speed and safety. These we
covered with a tarpaulin, intending to convey them
to the canoe only a few hours before starting.
When night spread her sable curtain over the scene,
we prepared to land; but, first, kneeling along with
the natives and the teacher, the latter implored a

TH£ CO&AL ISLAND. 409

blessing on our enterprise. Then we rowed quietly
to the shore and followed our sable guide, who led
us by a long detour, in order to avoid the village, to
the plaoe of rendezvous. We had not stood more
than five minutes imder the gloomy shade of the
thick foliage when a dark figure glided noiselessly up
to us.

"Ah! here you are/' said Jack, as Avatea ap-
proached. "Now, then, tell her what we've come
about, and don't waste time.''

" I understan' leetl English," said Avatea, in a low
voice.

"Why, where did you pick up English?" ex-
claimed Jack, in amazement; you were dumb as a
stone when I saw you last"

" She has learned aU she knows of it &om me,"
said the teacher, " since she came to the island"

We now gave Avatea a fiill explanation of our
plans, entering into all the details, and concealing
none of the danger, so that she might be fully aware
of the risk she ran. As we had anticipated, she was
too glad of the opportunity thus afibrded her to
escape &om her persecutors to think of the danger
or risk.

" Then you're willing to go with us, are you?"
said Jack.

" Yis, I willing to go."

410 THE OORAL ISLAND.

" And you're not afraid to trust yourself out on
the deep sea so £bu*?"

" No, I not 'fraid to go. Safe with Christian."
After some further consultation, the teacher sug-
gested that it was time to return, so we bade Avatea
good night, and having appointed to meet at the cliff
where the canoe lay, on the following night, just
after dark, we hastened away — we to row on board
the schooner with mujQied oars — ^Avatea to glide back
to her prison-hut among the Mango savages.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 411

CHAPTER XXXm.

The fligut— The ponnit— Despair and its resalts— The lion bearded in his den again
—Awful danger threatened and wonderfully averted— A terrific storm.

As the time for our meditated flight drew near, we
became naturally very fearful lest our purpose should
be discovered, and we spent the whole of the follow-
ing day in a state of nervous anxiety. We resolved
to go ashore and ramble about the village, as if to
observe the habits and dwellings of the people, as we
thought that an air of affected indifference to the
events of the previous day would be more likely than
any other course of conduct to avert suspicion as to
our intentions. While we were thus occupied, the
teacher remained on board with the Christian natives,
whose powerful voices reached us ever and anon as
they engaged in singing hymns or in prayer.

At last the long and tedious day came to a close,
the Sim sank into the sea, and the short-lived twi-
light of those regions, to which I have already re-
ferred, ended abruptly in a dark night. Hastily
throwing a few blankets into our little boat, we
stepped into it, and, whispering fareweU to \he
natives in the schooner, rowed gently overthe lagoon,
taking care to keep as near to the beach as possible.
We rowed in the utmost silence and with muffled

412 TH£ CORAL ISLAND.

oars, SO that had any one observed us at the distance
of a few yards, he might have almost taken ns for a
phantom-boat or a shadow on the dark water. Not
a breath of air was stirring; but fortunately the
gentle ripple of the sea upon the shore, mingled with
the soft roar of the breaker on the distant ree^
effectuaUy drowned the slight plash that we una-
voidably made in the water by the dipping of our
oars.

Quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the over-
hanging cliff under whose black shadow our little
canoe lay, with her bow in the water ready to be
launched, and most of her cargo abready stowed away.
As the keel of our little boat grated on the sand> a
hand was laid upon the bow, and a dim form was
seen.

" Ha !" said Peterkin in a whisper, as he stepped
upon the beach, ** is that you, Avatea f

" Yis, it am me," was the reply.

"All right! Now, then, gently. Help me to
shove off the canoe,'' whispered Jack to the teacher ;
" aind Peterkin, do you shove these blankets aboard,
we may want them before long. Avatea, step into
the middle; — that's right."

" Is all ready?" whispered the teacher.

"Not quite," replied Peterkin. "Here, Ralph,
lay hold o' this pair of oars» and stow them away if

THE CORAL ISLAND. 413

you can. I don't like paddles. After we're safe
away I'll try to rig up rollicks for them."

"Now, then, in with you and shove off."

One more earnest squeeze of the kind teacher's
hand, and, with his whispered blessing yet sound-
ing in our ears, we shot like an arrow from the
shore, sped over the still waters of the lagoon,
and paddled as swiftly as strong arms and willing
hearts could urge us over the long swell of the open
sea.

All that night and the whole of the following day
we plied our paddles in almost total silence and
without halt, save twice to recruit our failing energies
with a mouthful of food and a draught of water.
Jack had taken the bearing of the island just after
starting, and laying a smaJl pocket-compafls before
him, kept the head of the canoe due south, for our
chance of hitting the island depended very much on
the Mthfulness of our steersman in keeping our tiny
bark exactly and constantly on its proper course.
Peterkin . and I paddled in the bow, and Avatea
worked untiringly in the middle.

As the sun's lower limb dipped on the gilded edge
of the sea Jack ceased working, threw down his
paddle, and called a halt.

"There," he cried, heaving a deep, long-drawn
sigh, "we've put a considerable breadth of water

414 THE CORAL ISLAND.

between us and these black rascals, so now well
have a hearty supper and a sound sleep."

" Hear, hear/' cried Peterkin. ** Nobly spoken.
Jack. Hand me a drop water, Balph. Why, girl,
what's wrong with you? You look just like a black
owl blinking in the sunshine."

Avatea smiled ''I sleepy," she said; and as if
to prove the truth of this, she laid her head on the
edge of the canoe and fell fast asleep.

'' That's uncommon sharp practice," said Peterkin,
with a broad grin. "Don't you think we should
awake her to make her eat something first ? or, per-
haps," he added, with a grave, meditative look, "per-
haps we might put some food in her mouth, which is
so elegantly open at the present moment, and see if
she'd swallow it while asleep. If so, Balph, you
might come round to the front here and feed her
quietly, while Jack and I are tucking into the
victuals. It would be a monstrous economy of
time."

I could not help smiling at Peterkin's idea, which,
indeed, when I pondered it, seemed remarkably good
in theory; nevertheless I declined to put it in prac-
tice, being fearful of the result should the victual
chance to go down the wrong throat But^ on
suggesting this to Peterkin, he exclaimed —

"Down the wrong throat, man! why, a fellow

THE CORAL I8LAin>. 415

with half an eye might see that if it igrent down
Avatea's throat it could not go down the wrong
throat! — unless, indeed, you have all of a sudden
become inordinately selfish, and think that all the
throats in the world are wrong ones except your
own. However, don't talk so much, and hand me
the pork before Jack finishes it. I feel myself en-
titled to at least one minute morsel"'

"Peterkin, you're a villain. A paltry little
villain," said Jack, quietly, as he tossed the hind legs
(including the tail) of a cold roast pig to his comrade;
" and I must again express my regret that unavoid-
able circumstances have thrust your sodety upon me,
and that necessity has compelled me to cultivate
your acquaintanca Were it not that you are in-
capable of walking upon the water, I would order
you, sir, out of the canoe."

" There ! you've wakened Avatea with your long
tongue," retorted Peterkin, with a frown, as the girl
gave vent to a deep sigh. " No," he continued, " it
was only a snora Perchance she dreameth of her
black ApoUo. I say, Balph, do leave just one little
slice of that yam. Between you and Jack I run a
chance of being put on short allowance, if not —
yei — ^a — a — ow 1 "

Peterkin's concluding remark was a yawn of so
great energy that Jack recommended him to postpone

416 THE CORAL ISLAND.

the oonduaioii of his meal till next morning, — a piece
of advice which he followed so qtdckly, that I was
forcibly reminded of his remark, a few minutes be-
fore, in regard to the sharp practice of Avatea.

My readers will have observed, probably, by this
time, that I am much given to meditation; they will
not, therefore, be surprised to learn that I fell into a
deep reverie on the subject of sleep, which was con-
tinued without intermission into the night, and pro-
longed without interruption into the following morn-
ing. But I cannot feel assured that I actually slept
during that time, although I am tolerably certain that
I was not awake.
> ; Thus we lay like a shadow on the still bosom of
the ocean, while the night closed in, and all around
was calm, dark, and silent.

A thrilling cry of alarm from Peterkin startled us
in the morning, iust as the gray dawn began to
glimmer inTlit.

"What's wrong?" cried Jack, starting up.

Peterkin replied by pointing with a look of anxious
dread towards the horizon ; and a glance sufficed to
show us that one of the largest sized war-canoes was
approaching us !

With a groan of mingled despair and anger Jack
seized his paddle, glanced at the compass, and, in a
suppressed voice, commanded us to "give way."

THE CORAI. ISLAIO). 417

But we did not require to be urged. Already our
four paddles were glancing in the water, and the
canoe bounded over the glassy sea like a dolphin,
while a shout from our pursuers told that they had
observed our motions.

" I see something Hke land ahead,"' said Jack, in
a hopeful tona " It seems impossible that we could
have made the island yet; still, if it is so, we may
reach it before these fellows can catch us, for our
canoe is light and our muscles are fresh."

No one replied; for, to say truth, we felt that, in a
long chase, we had no chance whatever with a canoe
which held nearly a hundred warriors. Nevertheless,
we resolved to do our utmost to escape, and paddled
with a degree of vigour that kept us well in advance
of our pursuera The war-canoe was so &i behind us
that it seemed but a little speck on the sea, and the
shouts, to which the crew occasionally gave vent, came
faintly towards us on the morning breeze. We there-
fore hoped that we should be able to keep in advance
for an hour or two, when we might, perhaps, reach
the land ahead. But this hope was suddenly crushed
by the supposed hind, not long after, rismg up into
the sky, thus proving itself to be a fog-bank!

A bitter feeling of disappointment filled each heart,

and was expressed on each countenance, as we beheld

this termination to our hopes. But we had little

27

418 THE OOBAL ISLAND.

time to think of regret. Our danger was too great
and imminent to permit of a moment's relaxation
from our exertiona No hope now animated our
bosoms ; but a feeling of despair, strange to say, lent
us power to work, and nerved our arms with such
energy, that it was several hours ere the savages
overtook u& When we saw that there was indeed
no chance of escape, and that paddling any longer
would only serve to exhaust our strength, without
doing any good, we turned the side of our canoe to*
wards the approaching enemy, and laid down our
paddles.

Silently, and with a look of bitter determination
on his face. Jack lifted one of the light boat-oars
that we had brought with us, and, resting it on his
shoulder, stood up in an attitude of bold defiance.
Peterkin took the other oar and also stood up, but
there was no anger visible on his countenance. When
not sparkling with fun, it usually wore a nuld, sad
expression, which was deepened on the present occa-
sion, as he glanced at Avatea» who sat with her face
resting in her hands upon her kneea Without
knowing very well what I intended to do, I also
arose and grasped my paddle with both hands.

On came the large canoe like a war-horse of the
deep, with the foam curling from its sharp bow, and
the spear-heads of the savages glancing in the beams

THE COBAL ISLAND. 419

of the rifling sun. Perfect silence was maintained on
both sides, and we could hear the hissing water, and
see the frowning eyes of the warriors, as they came
rushing on. When about twenty yards distant, five
or six of the savages in the bow rose, and, laying
aside their paddles, took up their spears. Jack and
Feterkin raised their oars, while, with a feeling of
madness whirling in my brain, I grasped my paddle
and prepared for the onset But, before any of na
could strike a blow, the sharp prow of the war-canoe
struck us like a thunderbolt on the side, and hurled
us into the sea !

What occurred after this I cannot teU, for I was
nearly drowned; but when I recovered from the
state of insensibility into which I had been thrown,
I found myself stretched on my back, bound hand
and foot between Jack and Feterkin, in the bottom
of the large canoe.

In this condition we lay the whole day, during
which time the savages only rested one hour. When
night came, they rested again for another hour, and
appeared to sleep just as they sat. But we were
neither unbound nor allowed to speak to each other
during the voyage, nor was a morsel of food or a
draught of water given to ua For food, however, we
cared little ; but we would have given much for a drop
of water to cool our parched lips, and we would have

420 THE OORAL ISLAND.

been glad, too, had they loosened the cords that
botind us, for they were tightly feustened and occa-
sioned us much pain. The air, also, was unusually
hot, so much so that I felt convinced that a storm
was brewing. This also added to our sufferings.
However, these were at length relieved by our arrival
at the island from which we had fled.

While we were being led ashore, we caught a
glimpse of Avatea^ who was seated in the hinder
part of the canoa She was not fettered in any way.
Our captors now drove us before them towards the
hut of Tararo, at which we speedily arrived, and
found the chief seated with an expression on his face
that boded us no good. Our Mend the teacher
stood beside him, with a look of anxiety on his mild
features.

"How comes it," said Tararo, turning to the teacher,
" that these youths have abused our hospitality?"

"Tell him," replied Jack, "that we have not
abused his hospitality, for his hospitality has not
been extended to us. I came to the island to de-
liver Avatea, and my only regret is that I have failed
to do so. If I get another chance, I wiU try to save
her yet."

The teacher shook his head. "Nay, my yoimg
friend, I had better not tell him that. It will only
mcense him/'

THB CO&AL ISLAND. 421

" I care not," replied Jade " If you don't tell him
that, you'll tell him nothing, for I won't say any-
thing softer/'

On hearing Jack's speech, Tararo fix)wned and his
eye flashed with anger.

" Go," he said, " presumptuous boy. My debt to
you is cancelled. Tou and your companions shall
die."

As he spoke he rose and signed to several of his
attendants, who seized Jack, and Feterkin, and me,
violently by the collars, and, dragging us from the
hut of the chief, led us through the wood to the out-
skirts of the village. Here they thrust us into a
species of natural cave in a cliff, and, having barri-
caded the entrance, left us in total darkness.

After feeling about for some time — ^for our legs
were imshackled, although our wrists were still
bound with thongs — we found a low ledge of rock
nnming along one side of the (»vera On this we
seated ourselves, and for a long time maintained un-
broken silence.

At last I could restrain my feelings no longer.
" Alas ! dear Jack and Feterkin," said I, '' what is to
become of us? I fear that we are doomed to die."

" I know not," replied Jack, in a tremulous voice,
"I know not; Ealph, I regret deeply the hastiness of
my violent temper, which, I must confess, has been

422 THE CORAX ISLAND.

the chief cause of our being brought to this sad con-
dition. Perhaps the teacher may do something for u&
But I have little hope."

"Ah! no," said Peterkin, with a heavy sigh; "I
am sure he can't help us. Tararo doesn't care more
for him than for one of his dogs."

" Truly," said I, " there seems no chance of de-
liverance, unless the Almighty puts forth his arm to
save us. Yet I must say that I have great hope,
my comrades, for we have come to this dark place
by no fault of ours — ^unless it be a fault to try to
succour a woman in distress."

I was interrupted in my remarks by a noise at
the entrance to the cavern, which was caused by the
removal of the barricade. Immediately after, three
men entered, and, taking us by the collars of our
coats, led us away through the forest. As we ad-
vanced, we heard much shouting and beating of
native drums in the village, and at first we thought
that our guards were conducting us to the hut of
TaxaroagaiB. But in this we were mistakea The
beating of drums graduaUy increased, and soon
after we observed a pCsion of the natives coming
towards u& At the head of this procession we were
placed, and then we all advanced together towards
the temple where human victims were wont to be
sacrificed !

THB COBAL ISLAND. 423

A thrill of horror ran through my heart as I re-
called to mind the awful scenes that I had before
witnessed at that dreadfdl spot. But deliverance
came suddenly from a quarter whence we little ex-
pected ii During the whole of that day there had
been an unusual degree of heat in the atmosphere,
and the sky assumed that lurid aspect which por-
tends a thunder-stonn. Just as we were approaching
the horrid temple, a growl of thunder burst over-
head and he^vy drops of rain began to fall

Those who have not witnessed gales and storms
in tr(^ical regions can form but a faint conception of
t^e fearful hmricane that burst upon the island of
Mango at this tima Before we reached the temple,
the storm burst upon us with a deafening roar, and
. the natives, who knew too well the devastation that
was to foUow, fled right and left through the woods
in order to save their property, leaving us alone in
the midst of the howling storm. The trees around
us bent before the blast like willows, and we were .
about to flee in order to seek shelter, wheoi the
teacher ran toward us with a knife in his hand.

''Thank the Lord,'' he said, cutting our bonds, ''I am
In time! Now, seek the shelter of the nearest rock."

This we did without a moment's hesitation, for
the whistling wind burst, ever and anon, like thunder-
claps among the trees, and, tearing them from their

424 THE CORAL ISLAin).

roots, hurled them with violence to the ground.
Bain cut across the land in sheets, and lightning
played like forked serpents in the air; while, high
above the roar of the hissing tempest, the thunder
crashed, and burst, and rolled in awfiil majesty.

In the village the scene was absolutely appalling.
B00& were bjown completely off the houses in many
cases; and in others, the houses themselves were
levelled with the ground. In the midst of this, the
natives were darting to and &o, in some instances
eaving their goods, but in many others seeking to
save themselves from the storm of destruction that
whirled around them. But, terrific although the
tempest was on laud, it was stiU more tremendous on
the mighty ocean. Billows sprang, as it were, from
the great deep, and while their crests were absolutely
scattered into white mist, they fell upon the beach
with a crash that seemed to shake the solid land.
But they did not end there. Each successive wave
swept higher and higher on the beach, until the
ocean lashed its angry waters among the trees and
bushes, and at length, in a sheet of white curdled
foam, swept into the village and upset and carried off,
or dashed into wreck, whole rows of the native
dwellings! It was a sublime, an awful scene, calcu-
lated, in some degree at least, to impress the mind of
beholders with the might and the majesty of God.

THE CORAL ISLAND. 425

We found shelter in a cave that night and all
the next day, during which time the storm raged in
fury; but on the night following it abated some-
what, and in the morning we went to the village to
seek for food, being so famished with hunger that we
lost all feeling of danger and all wish to escape in
our desire to satisfy the craviags of nature. But no
sooner had we obtained food than we began to wish
that we had rather endeavoured to make our escape
into the mountains. This we attempted to do soon
afterwards, but the natives were now able to look
after us, and on our showing a disposition to avoid
observation and make towards the mountains, we
were seized by three warriors, who once more bound
our wrists and thriist us into our former prison.

It is true Jack made a vigorous resistance, and
knocked down the first savage who seized him, with
a well-directed blow of his fist, but he was speedily
overpowered by others. Thus we were again pri-
soners, with the prospect of tortiure and a violent
death before us.

426 THS OOBAL ISLANP.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

ImpilBonment>-SinUDg hopes— Unexpected freedom to more tlum one, and in

more senses than one.

Fob a long long month we remained in our dark
and dieaoy priaon. during which dismal time we did
not see the Ha/ce of a human being, except that of the
silent savage who brought us our daily food.

There have been one or two seasons in my life
during which I have felt as if the darkness of sorrow
and desolation that crushed my inmost heart could
never pass away, until death should make me cease
to feeL The present was such a season.

During the first part of our confinement we felt a
cold chiU at our hearts eveiy time we heard a foot-
fall near the cave — dreading lest it should prove to
be that of our executioner. But as time dragged
heavily on, we ceased to feel this alarm, and began
to experience such a deep, irrepressible longing for
freedom, that we chafed and fretted in oiur confine-
ment like tigers. Then a feeling of despair came
over us, and we actually longed for the time when
the savages would take us forth to die! But these
changes took place very gradually, and were mingled
sometimes with brighter thoughts ; for there were
times when we sat in that dark cavern on our ledge

THS COBAL ISLAND. 427

of rock and conversed almost pleasantly about the
past, until we well-nigh forgot the dreary present.
But we seldom ventured to touch upon the future.

A few decayed leaves and boughs formed our bed ;
and a scanty supply of yams and taro, brought to us
once a-day, constituted our food.

"Well, Ralph, how have you slept?" said Jack, in
a listless tone, on rising one morning from his humble
couch. " Were you much disturbed by the wind last
night?"

" No," said I ; " I dreamed of home all night, and
I thought that my mother smiled upon me, and
beckoned me to go to her ; but I could not, for I was
chained."

" And I dreamed, too," said Feterkin ; "but it was
of our happy home on the Coral Island. I thought
we were swimming in the Water Garden; then the
savages gave a yell, and we were immediately in the
cave at Spouting CiiS, which, somehow or other,
changed into this gloomy cavern ; and I awoke to find
it true."

Feterkin's tone was so much altered by the de-
pressing influence of his long imprisonment, that, had
I not known it was he who spoke, I should scarcely
have recognised it, so sad was it, and so unlike to
the merry, cheerful voice we had been accustomed to
hear. I pondered this much, and thought of the

428 THE CORAL ISLAND.

terrible decline of happiness that may come on human
beings in 80 short a time; how bright the sunshine
in the sky at one time, and, in a short space, how
dark the overshadowing doud ! I had no doubt that
the Bible would have given me much light and com-
fort on this subject, if I had possessed one, and I
once more had occasion to regret deeply having ne-
glected to store my memory with its consoling truths.
While I meditated thus, Peterkin again broke the
silence of the cave, by saying, in a melancholy tone,
" Oh, I wonder if we shall ever see our dear island

more."

His voice trembled, and, covering his fiwse with
both hands, he bent down his head and wept. It
was an unusual sight for me to see our once joyous
companion in tears, and I felt a btiming desire to
comfort him ; but, alas ! what could I say ? I could
hold out no hope ; and although I essayed twice to
speak, the words refused to pass my lips. While I
hesitated, Jack sat down beside him, and whispered
a few words in his ear, while Peterkin threw him-
self on his friend's breast, and rested his head on his
shoulder.

Thus we sat for some time in deep silence. Soon
after, we heard footsteps at the entrance of the cave,
and immediately our jailer entered. We were so
much accustomed to his regular visits, however, that

THE COBAL ISLAND. 429

we paid little attention to him, expecting that he
would set down our meagre fare, as usual, and depart
But, to our surprise, instead of doing so, he advanced
towards us with a knife in his hand, and, going up
to Jack, he cut the thongs that bound his wrists,
then he did the same to Feterkin and me ! For
fully five minutes we stood in speechless amazement,
with our freed hands hanging idly by our sides. The
first thought that rushed into my mind was, that the
time had come to put us to death; and although, as
I have said before, we actually wished for death in
the strength of our despair, now that we thought it
drew really near I felt all the natural love of life
revive in my heart, mingled with a chill of horror at
the suddenness of our call

But I was mistaken. After cutting our bonds, the
savage pointed to the cave's mouth, and we marched,
almost mechanically, into the open air. Here, to our
surprise, we found the teacher standing under a tree,
with his hands clasped before him, and the tears trick-
ling down his dark cheeka On seeing Jack, who
came out first, he sprang towards him, and clasping
him in his arms, exclaimed, —

" Oh ! my dear young friend, through the great
goodness of God you are free!"

"Free!" cried Jack.

"Ay, free/' repeated the teacher, shaking na

480 THE CORAL ISLAND.

warmly by the hands again and again ; " free to go
and come as you will The Lord has unloosed the
bands of the captive and set the prisoners free. A
missionary has been sent to us, and Tararo has em-
braced the Christian religion! The people are even
now burning their gods of wood ! Come, my dear
friends, and see the glorious sight/'

We could scarcely credit our sensea So long had
we been accustomed in our cavern to dream of
deliverance, that we imagined for a moment this
must surely be nothing more than another vivid
dream. Our eyes and minds were dazzled, too, by
the brilliant simshine, which almost blinded us after
our long confinement to the gloom of our prison, so
that we felt giddy with the variety of conflicting
emotions that fiUed our throbbing bosoms; but as
we followed the footsteps of our sable friend, and
beheld the bright foliage of the trees, and heard the
cries of the paroquets, and smelt the rich perfrime of
the flowering shrubs, the truth, that we were really
delivered from prison and from death, rushed with
overwhelming power into our souls, and, with one
accord, while tears sprang to our eyes, we uttered a
loud long cheer of joy.

It was replied to by a shout from a number of the
natives who chanced to be near. Running towards
us, they shook us by the hand with every demon-

THE GOBAL ISLAND. 431

stration of kindly feeling. They then fell behind,
and, forming a sort of procession, conducted us to the
dwelling of Tararo.

The scene that met our eves here was one that I
shall never forget. On a rude bench in &ont of his
house sat the chief A native stood on his left hand,
who, &om his dress, seemed to be a teacher. On his
right, stood an English gentleman, who, I at once
and rightly concluded, was a missionary. He was
tall, thin, and apparently past forty, with a bald
forehead, and thin gray hair. The expression of his
countenance was the most winning I ever saw, and
his dear gray eye beamed with a look that was frank,
fearless, loving, and truthfiiL In front of the chief
was an open space, in the centre of which lay a pile
of wooden idols, ready to be set on fire ; and around
these were assembled thousands of natives, who had
come to join in or to witness the unusual sight. A
bright smUe overspread the ndssionaiys fi«se aa he
advanced quickly to meet us, and he shook us warmly
by the hands.

'' I am overjoyed to meet you, my dear young
friends," he said. " My friend, and your friend, the
teacher, has told me your history; and I thank our
Father in heaven, with all my heart, that he has
guided me to this island, and made me the instrument
of saving you."

482 THE OORAL ISLAND.

We thanked the missionaTy most heartily, and
asked him in some surprise how he had succeeded in
turning the heart of Tararo in our fitvour.

" I will tell you that at a more convenient time/' he
answered, '^meanwhile we must not forget the respect
due to the chief. He waits to receive you."

In the conversation that immediately followed be-
tween us and Tararo, the latter said that the light of
the gospel of Jesus Christ had been sent to the island,
and that to it we were indebted for our freedom.
Moreover, he told us that we were at liberty to depart
in our schooner whenever we pleased, and that we
should be suppUed with as much provision as we
required. He concluded by shaking hands with us
warmly, and performing the ceremony of rubbing
noses.

This was indeed good news to us, and we could
hardly find words to express our gratitude to the
chief and to the missionary.

" And what of Avatea?** inquired Jack.

The missionary replied by pointing to a group of
natives in the midst of whom the girl stood. Be-
side her was a tall, strapping fellow, whose noble
mien and air of superiority bespoke him a chief of no
ordinaiy kind.

" That youth is her lover. He came this very
morning in his war-cauoe to treat with Tararo for

L

THE COBAL ISLAIO). 433

A.vatea. He is to be married in a few days, and
afterwards returns to his island home with his
bride r

" That's capital/' said Jack, as he stepped up to
the savage and gave him a hearty shake of the
hand. " I wish you joy, my lad ; — and you too,
Avatea."

As Jack spoke, Avatea's lover took him by the
hand and led him to the spot where Tararo and the
missionary stood, surrounded by most of the chief
men of the tribe. The girl herself followed, and
stood on his left hand while her lover stood on his
right, and, commanding sHence, made the foUowing
speech, which was translated by the missionary : —

" Young Mend, you have seen few years, but your
head is old. Tour heart also is large and very
brave. I and Avatea are your debtors, and we wish,
in the midst of this assembly, to acknowledge our
debt, and to say that it is one which we can never
repay. You have risked your life for one who was
known to you only for a few days. But she was a
woman in distress, and that was enough to secure to
her the aid«of a Christian man. We, who live in
these islands of the sea, know that the true Chris-
tians always act thus. Their religion is one of love
and kindness. We thank Qod that so many Chris^

tians have been sent here — we hope many more will

28

434 THE OORAL ISLAND.

come. Remember that I and Avatea will think of
yoTi and pray fbr you and your brave comrades when
you are fiur away."

To this kind speech Jack returned a short sailor-
like reply, in which he insisted that he had only
done for Avatea what he would have done for any
woman, under the sun. But Jack's forte did not lie
in speech-making, so he terminated rather abruptly
by seizing the chief's hand and shaking it violently,
after which he made a hasty retreat.

" Now, then, Balph and Peterkin," said Jack, as
we mingled with the crowd, " it seems to me that
the object we came here for having been satisfac-
torily accomplished, we have nothing more to do but
get ready for sea as fast as we can, and hurrah for
dear old England !"

" That's my idea precisely," said Peterkin, endear
vouring to wink, but he had wept so much of late,
poor fellow, that he found it difficult ; " however,
I'm not going away till I see these fellows bum
their gods."

Peterkin had his wish, for, in a few minutes
afterwards, fire was put to the pile, the roaring
flames ascended, and, amid the acclamations of the
assembled thousands, the false gods of Mango were
reduced to ashes !

THE CORAL ISLAND. 435

CHAPTER XXXV.

ConclnsloiL

To part is the lot of all mankind The world is
a scene of constant leave-taking, and the hands that
grasp in cordial greeting to-day, are doomed ere
long to imite for the last time, when the quivering
lips pronomice the word — '* Farewell." It is a sad
thought, but should we on that account exclude it
from our minds ? May not a lesson worth learning
be gathered in the contemplation of it ? May it not,
perchance, teach us to devote our thoughts more fre-
quently and attentively to that land where we meet,
but part no more ?

How many do we part from in this world with a
light " Good-bye," whom we never see again! Often
do I think, in my meditations on this subject, that
if we realized more fiilly the shortness of the fleet-
ing intercourse that we have in this world with
many of our fellow -men, we would try more
earnestly to do them good, to give them a friendly
smile, as it were, in passing (for the longest in-
tercourse on earth is little more than a passing word
and glance), and show that we have sympathy with
them in the short quick struggle of life, by our kindly
words and looks and actions.

436 T^E OOAAL ISLAND.

The time soon drew near when we were to quit
the islands of the South Seas ; and, strange though
it may appear, we felt deep regret at parting with
the natives of the island of Mango ; for, after they
embraced the Christian faith, they sought, by showing
us the utmost kindness, to compensate for the harsh
treatment we had experienced at their hands; and we
felt a growing affection for the native teachers and ^
the missionary, and especially for Avatea and her
husband.

Before leaving we had many long and interesting
conversations with the missionary, in one of which
he told us that he had been making for the island
of Baratonga when his native-built sloop was blown
out of its course, during a violent gale, and driven to
this island. At first the natives refused to listen to
what he had to say ; but, after a week's residence
among them, Tararo came to him and said that he
wished to become a Christian, and would bum his
idols. He proved himself to be sincere, for, as we
have seen, he persuaded all his people to do likewise.
I use the word persuaded advisedly; for, like all the
other Feejee chiefs, Tararo was a despot and might
have commanded obedience to his wishes; but he
entered so readily into the spirit of the new fiedth
that he perceived at once the impropriety of using
constraint in the propagation of it He set the ex-

THK OORAX ISLAKB. 437

ample, therefore; and that example was followed by
almofit every man of the tribe.

During the short tune that we remained at the
isliand, repairing our vessel and getting her ready for
sea, the natives had commenced building a large and
commodious church, under the superintendence of the
missionary, and several rows of new cottages were
marked out ; so that the place bid fair to become, in
a few months, as prosperous and beautiful as the
Christian village at the other end of the island.

After Avatea was married, she and her husband
were sent away, loaded with presents, chiefly of an
edible nature. One of the native teachers went with
them, for the purpose of visiting stiU more distant
islands of the sea, and spreading, if possible, the light
of the glorious gospel there.

As the missionary intended to remain for several
weeks longer, in order to encourage and confirm his
new converts. Jack and Feterkin and I held a con-
sultation in the cabin of our schooner, — which we
found just as we had left her, for everything that
had been taken out of her was restored. We now
resolved to delay our departure no longer. The de-
sire to see our beloved native land was strong upon
us, and we could not wait.

Three natives volunteered to go with us to Tahiti,
where we thought it likely that we should be able

438 THE GOBAL ISLAND.

to procure a sufficient crew of sailors to man our
vessel ; so we accepted their offer gladly.

It waa a bright dear mondng when we hoisted
the snow-white sails of the pirate schooner and left
the shores of Mango. The missionary, and thousands
of the natives, came down to bid us Gk)d-speed, and to
see us sail away. As the vessel bent before a light
fair wind, we glided quickly over the lagoon under a
cloud of canvass.

Just as we passed through the channel in the reef
the natives gave us a loud cheer ; and as the mission-
ary waved his hat, while he stood on a coral rock
with his gray hairs floating in the wind, we heard
the single word "Farewell" borne fiaiintly over the
sea.

That night, as we sat on the taffiml, gazing out
upon the wide sea and up into the starry firmament,
a thrill of joy, strangely mixed with sadness, passed
through our hearts, — ^for we were at length " home-
ward bound," and were gradually leaving far behind
us the beautiful, bright, green, coral islands of the
Pacific Ocean.

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On the Nile. The Story of a Family Trip to the Land of Egypt.
By Sara K. Hunt. With 16 Engravings. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Pnce 38.

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BOOKS FOR BOYS.

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BY THE LATE TAT. H. G. KINGSTON.

In the Wilds of Florida. With 37 Engravings. Gilt edges.
Price 55.

My First Voyajre to Southern Seas. With 52 Engravings.

Gilt edges. Price 5s.
Old Jack. A Sea Tale. With 66 Engravings. Gilt edges. Price 5s.

Saved f^m the Sea; or, The Loss of the Viper y and the Adven-
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Gilt edges. Price 5s.

The South Sea Whaler : A story of the Loss of the Champion^
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edges. Price 5s.

Twice Lost. A Story of Shipwreck, and of Adventure in the Wilds
of Australia. With 36 Engravings. Gilt edges. Price 5s.

A Voyage Round the World. A Tale for Boys. With 42

Engp-avings. Gilt edges. Price 5s.

The Wanderers; or, Adventures in the Wilds of Trinidad and up
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The Young UanerO. A story of War and Wild Life in Venezuela.
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The Young Rajah. A Storyoflndian Life and Adventure. With
upwards of 40 Full-page Engravings. Gilt edges. Price 5s.

In the Eastern Seas ; or, The Regions of the Bird of Paradise.
A Tale for Boys. With zii Illustrations. Crown 8vo, gilt edges. Price 6s.

In the Wilds of Africa. With upwards of 70 Illustrations.
Crown 8vo, gilt edges. Price 6s.

Afar in the Forest. With 41 Full-page Engravings. Cloth extra.
Price 3s. 6d.

In the Rpeky Mountains. A Tale of Adventure. With 41
Engravings. Price 3s. 6d.

In New Granada; or, Heroes and Patriots. With 36 Full-page

Engravings. Price 3s. 6d.

Stories of the Sagacity of Animals. With 60 Illustrations

by Harrison Weir. Price 3s. 6d.

Almost a Hero ; or, School Days at Ashcombe. By Robert
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Odd Moments of the Willoughby Boys. By Emily Hartley.

Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 2s. 6d.

Culm Rock ; or, Ready Work for Willing Hands. A Book for Boys,
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The Boy's Country Book. By William Howitt. Post 8vo,

cloth. With Illustrations. Price 3s. 6d.

From " Edinburgh Revifw,** July i»79^.—" To our mind William Hewitt's
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Nuts for Boys to Crack. By the Rev. John Todd, D.D.,

Author of " Simple Sketches," &c. Royal zSmo. Price is. 6d.
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BOOKS OF PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE.

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Success in Life. A Book for Young Men. With Plates. Post

8vo. Price 3S.

Seed-time and Harvest; or, Sow Well and Reap Well. A Book
for the Young. By the late Rev. W. K. Tweedie, D.D. Price as.

The Boy Makes the Man. A Book of Example and Encourage-
ment for Boys, ^ By the Author of " Records of Noble Lives," &c. With
Coloured Frontispiece and Vignette, and numerous Engravings. Royal
i8mo. Price is. 66.

Foundation Stones for Toung Builders. By the Rev. John

Hall, D.D., New York. Royal 8vo. Price is. 66.

Little Thingrs in DailV Life. Little Duties— Little Kindnesses
— Little Cares — Little Pleasures, &c., &c Royal iSmo. Price is.

Christian Principle in Little Things. A Book for the Young.

With Engravings. Royal iSmo. Price is. 6d.

ELind Words Awaken Kind Echoes. Six Engravings. Post

8vo. Price 2S. 6d.

Willing to be Useful; or, Principle and Duty Illustrated in the
Story of Edith Allison. With Plates. Post Bva Price as.

Spare Well, Sl>end Well; or, Money, its Use and Abuse. With
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Strive and Thrive; or. Stories for the Example and Encourage-
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Truth is Always Best; or, "A Fault Confessed is Half Re-
dressed." By Mary and Elizabeth Kirby. With Coloured Frontispiece
and 17 Engravings. Royal i8mo. Price is. 6d.

The Golden Rule; or, Do to Others as You would have Others do
to You. Illustrated. Royal i8mo. Price is. 66.

What Shall I Be ? or, A Boy's Aim in Life. Illustrated. Fool-
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Home Principles in Boyhood, and Other stories for the Young.
Post Bvo, cloth. Price as.

Frank Martin ; or. The Story of a Country Boy. With Coloured
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Ned's Motto ; or. Little by Little. With Coloured Frontispiece,

and numerous Engravin/75. Royal iSmo, cloth. Price is. 6d.

Tom Tracy; or. Whose if the Victory? Illustrated. Foolscap

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STORY BOOKS OF NATURAL HISTORY.

RICHLY ILLUSTRATED.

Jenny and the Insects ; or, Little Toilers and their Industries.
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Price 3S^ 6d.

Tiny Workers ; or, Man's Little Rivals in the Animal World.
With 13 Engravings. Price is. 6d.

The History of the Robins. By Mrs. Trimmer. Illustrated
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Whymper, Sargent, &c. New and Cheaper Edition. Post 8vo, gilt edges.
Price 3s.

In the Woods. By M. K. M. , Author of * * The Birds We See, " &c.
With 34 Illustrations by Giacomelli. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 2s. 6d.

Sea Birds, and the Lessons of their Lives. By Mrs. Surr.

With 24 Engravings. Foolscap Bvo, cloth, g^lt edges. Price 2s.

Stories of the Dog, and his Cousins the Wolf, the Jackal,

and the Hyena. With Stories Illustrating their Place in the Animal World.
By Mrs. Hugh Miller. With 34 Engravings. Foolscap 8vo, cloth. Price
IS. 6d.

Stories of the Cat, and her Cousins the Lion, the Tiger,

and the Leopard. With Stories Illustrating their Place in the Animal World.
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Talks with Uncle Richard about Wild Animals. By Mrs.

George Cupples. With 75 Illustrations. i8mo, cloth. Price is. 6d.

Mamma's Stories about Domestic Pets. By Mrs. George

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Thtngrs in the Forest. By Mary and Elizabeth Kirby.

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Stories about Dogs. By Mrs. Surr. With 12 Tinted Engrav-
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Stories about Cats. By Mrs. Surr. With 12 Tinted Engrav-
ings by Harrison Weir, and other Artists. 4to, cloth extra. Price 3s. 6d.

History of Good Dog Fanny and Tuft the Canary. With

other Stories, all true. By Mrs. Gaskell, of Ingersley. Price is. 6d.

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TALES FOR THE HOME CIRCLE.

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Isabel'S Secret. By the Author of " The Story of a Happy Little
Girl." Foolscap 8vo, cloth. Price 3s.

Stepping Heavenward. A Tale of Home Life. By the Author
of " The Flower of the Family." Post 8vo, cloth. Price as. 6d.

The Flower of the Family. Post 8vo, cloth. Price 2s. 6d.

Ever Heavenward ; or, A Mother's influence. By the Author of
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Stories by the Author of "Stepping Heavenward." With

4 Illustrations Printed in Colours. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 2s.

The Story of a Happy Home ; or, The Children's Year, and
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Tales for the Home Circle. By Madame de Witt {n6e GuizoT).

With 31 Engravings. Post 8vo. Price 2s.

Anna Lee : Maiden, Wife, Mother. By T. S. Arthur. Post 8vo,

cloth. Price 2S.

Sow Well and Reap Well. By T. S. Arthur. Illustrated.

Post 8vo, cloth. Price zs. 6d.

True Riches ; or, Wealth without Wings. By T. S. Arthur.
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Favourite Narratives for the Christian Household.

Containing :— The Shepherd of Salisbury Plain— The Dairyman's
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The Triumph of Industry ; or. The Story of Little Robinson
of Paris. Translated from the French by Lucy Landon. Illustrated.
Foolscap 8vo, cloth. Price is. 6d.

The Royal Banner; or. Gold and Rubies. A Story for the Young.
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cloth extra. Price 2s.

Father 'S Coming Home. By the Author of " Copsley Annals,"
&c. With 7 Illustrations. Post 8vo, cloth. Price is. 6d.

Watch— Work— Wait. A Story of the Battle of Life. By Sarah
Myers. Foolscap 8vo, cloth. Price xs. 6d.

Sweetest when Crushed; or. The Blessing of Trials when
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The Power of Kindness, and Other stories. Illustrated.
Royal iBmo, cloth. Price is.

Old Robin and his Proverb ; or, With the Lowly is Wisdom.
By Mrs. Henry F. Brock. With Coloured Frontispiece, and numerous
Engravings. Royal iSmo, cloth. Price is.

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TALES WITH USEFUL MORALS.

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Jubiloe Hall ; or, " There's no Place like Home.*' A Story for the

Young. By the Hon. Mrs. Grbbnb, Author of " The Grey House on the

Hill," &c. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 2S. 6d.
The Grey House on the Hill ; or, Trust in God and do the Right.

A Tale for the Young. By the Hon. Mrs. Grebne. Post 8vo, cloth. 2S. 6d.
Ada and Gerty ; or. Hand in Hand Heavenward. A Tale. By

Louisa M. Gray. With Frontispiece. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 3s. 6a.

Nelly's Teachers, and what they Learned. A Tale for the

Young. By Kate Thorn e. Price 3s. 6d.
Look at the Bri«rht Side. A Tale for the Young. By JOANNA

H. Matthews, Author of " Little Sunbeams." Post Bvo, cloth extra. 2s. 6d.
Waiting and Winning; or. Bread Cast upon the Waters and

Found after Many Days. With 4 Illustrations pnnted in Colours. Post

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Lizzie Hepburn ; or, Every Cloud has a Silver Lining. With 4

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INSTRUCTIVE BOOKS FOR THE YOUNG.

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The Babes in the Basket ; or, Daph and Her Charge. By the
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The Basket of Flowers ; or, Piety and Truth Triumphant. Illus-
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Little Crosses ; or, " Let Patience have her Perfect Work." With
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Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain. With Coloured

Frontispiece. Royal xBmo.

The Harrington Girls; or. Faith and Patience. By Sophy Win-

THROP. With Coloured Frontispiece. Royal xBmo.

It's His Way, and other Stories. By the Author of "Copsley
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Hope, On ; or, The House that Tack Built. With Coloured Frontis-
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Kitty's Knitting Needles— The One Moss-Rose. By the

Rev. P. B. Power. With Coloured Frontispiece. Royal i8ma
Laura's Impulses; or. Principle a Safer Guide than Feeling.
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Martha's Home, and How the Sunshine Came Into It

With Coloured Frontispiece and 30 Engravings. Royal iBmo.

Matty's Hungry Missionary Box, and other stories. By the

Author of "village Missionaries." With Coloured Frontispiece and 30 En-
gravings. Royal iBmo.

" Our Father which art in Heaven." A Story illustrative

of the Lord's Prayer. By a Clergyman's Widow. With Coloured Frontis-
piece and z6 Eneravings. Royal zBmo.

Walks and TsSks with Grandpapa. By Mrs. George

CupPLES. With numerous Engravings. Royal xBmo.

Life and Travel in Tartary, Thibet, and China, Being a

N anrative of the Abb^ Hue's Travels in the Far East. By M. Jones, with
Coloured Frontispiece and numerous Engravings. Royal xSmo.

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TEMPERANCE PRIZE TALES.

Beinfir the Works -vi^liieli obtained the Prizes of £100 and.
£50 respectively, offered by the United Kingdom
Band of Hope Union.

Frank Oldfleld ; or. Lost and Found. By the Rev. T. P. Wilson,

M.A. WUh s Eogiavings. Post B^o, doch extra. Price 3s. 6cL

Tim's Troubles: or, Tried and True. By M. A. Paull. With
5 Eogiavings. Post 8vo, doth extra. Price 3s. 6cL

Songrht and Saved. ATale. ByM.A.PAULL,Anthorof"'nm's
Troubles ; or, Tried and True," "Tme Hearts make Happy Homes," &c.
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Lionel Franklin's Victory. By E. Van Sommer. With 6 En-
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Every-Day Doings. By Hellena Richardson. With 6 Illus-
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Owen's Hobby ; or. Strength in Weakness. A Tale. By Elmer
Burleigh. With 6 Engravings. Post 8vo. Price 3s. 6d.

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WORKS BY THE REV. T. P, WILSON,

AUTHOR OF "FRANK OLDFIELD."

Frank Oldfleld ; or. Lost and Found. With 5 Engravings. Post
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Great Heifirbts Gained by Steady Efforts ; or, Perseverance

and Faithfulness Triumphant. Post 8vo, cloth extra. Price 3s. 6d.

True to bis Colours ; or, The Life that Wears Best. With 6
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Amos Huntingrdon. A Tale illustrative of Moral Courage, with
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extra. Price 3s. 6d.

Working in tbe Shade ; or. Lowly Sowing brings Glorious Reap-
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WORKS BY M. A, PAULL,

AUTHOR OF "TIM'S TROUBLES."

Tim's Troubles ; or, Tried and True. With 5 Engravings. Post
8vo, cloth extra. Price 38. 6d.

Sought and Saved. With 6 Engravings. Post 8vo, cloth extra.
Price 3s. 6d.

Stories of tbe Mountain and the Forest. With 9 Engrav-
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True Hearts make Happy Homes : The Story of the Vivians

of Woodiford. Post Bvo, doth extra. Price 3s. 6d.

May's Sixpence ; or, Waste Not, Want Not. Royal i8mo. is. 6d.

Willie's Choice ; or. All is not Gold that Glitters. Foolscap 8vo.
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BIOGRAPHY AND ITS LESSONS.

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Noble Women of Our Time. By Joseph Johnson, Author of

" Living in Earnest," &c. With Accounts of the Work of Misses de Broen,
Whately, Carpenter, F. R. Havergal, Macpherson, Sister Dora, &c. Post
8vo, cloth. Price js. 6cl.

Lives Made Sublime by Faith and Works. By the Rev.

Robert Steel, D.D., Author of "Doing Good," &c. Post 8vo. New
Edition, Price 3s. 6d.

"Above Rubies;" or, Memoirs of Christian Gentlewomen. By
Miss Brightwblu Post 8vo. Price 3s. 6d.

Earnest Men : Their Life and Work. By the late Rev. W. K.
TwEBDiE, D.D. Crown Bvo. Price 3s. 6d.

Doing Good; or, The Christian in Walks of Usefulness. Illus-
trated bvExampIes. By the Rev. Robert Steel, D.D. Post 8vo. 3s. 6d.

Willing Hearts and Ready Hands; or. The Labours and Tri-
umphs of Earnest Women. By Joseph Johnson. Post Bvo. Price 3s. 6d.

The Early Choice. A Book for Daughters. By the late Rev.
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Stories of the Lives of Noble Women. By w. H. Daven-
port Adams. Price 2s. 6d.

Records of Noble Lives. A Book of Notable English Biog-
raphies. By W. H. Davenport Adams. Price 2s. 6d.

Living in Earnest. Lessons and Incidents from the Lives of the
Great and Good. By Joseph Johnson. Price 2s. 6d.

Living to Purpose; or, Making the Best of Life. By Joseph
Johnson. Price as. 6d.

Self-taught Men. A Series of Biographies for the Young. Con-
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Davy, William Oxton, &c. Pnce 2s. 6d.

Youthful Diligence and Future Greatness. By the late

Rev. W. K. TwEEDiE, D.D. Royal iBmo. Price 2s.
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Coloured Frontispiece and Vignette, and numerous Engravings. Royal
zBmo. Price zs. 6d.

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STORIES OF NOBLE LIVES.

Each with Coloured Frontispiece.
Royal 18mo, Cloth. Price Is.

Story of Audubon, the Naturalist.

Story of Howard, the Philanthropist.

Story of Palissy, the Potter.

story of John Smeaton and the Eddystone Lighthouse.

Story of Dr. Scoresby, the Arctic Navigator.

story of BenvenutO Cellini, the Italian Goldsmith.

story of Sir Humphrey Davy and the Invention of the Safety
Lamp.

story of Galileo, the Astronomer of Pisa.

Story of the Herschels.

T. NELSON AND SONS, LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK,

NEW SERIES OF EIGHTEENPENNY BOOKS.

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Story of the Beacon Fire; or. Trust in God and Do the Right
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May's Sixpence; or, Waste Not, Want Not. A Tale. By M. A.
Paull, Author of " Tim's Troubles," &c. Royal xSino.

Willie's Choice; or, All is not Gold that Glitters. By M. A.
Paull. Post 8vo.

Roe Carson's Enemy; or. The Struggle for Self-Conquest, By
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Compton's Holiday," &c. Royal xSmo.

TempePed Steel ; or, Tried in the Fire. By the Rev. E. N. Hoare,
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Working in the Shade ; or, Lowly Sowing Brings Glorious Reap-
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Little Hazel, the King's Messenger. By the Author of *< Little

Snowdrop and her Golden Casket," &c. Post Bvo.

The Crown of Glory; or, "Faithful unto Death." A Scottish
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The Guiding Pillar. A Story for the Young. By the Author of
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Little Snowdrop and Her Golden Casket By the Author

of " Little Hazel, the King's Messenger," &c. Post 8vo.

Under the Old Oaks ; or. Won by Love. By the Author of "Little
Hazel, the King's Messenger," &c Post 8vo.

Breakers Ahead; or, Uncle Jack's Stories of Great Shipwrecks of
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Shetland,** &c. Post 8vo, cloth.

Little Lily's Travels. A Book for the Young. With numerous
Engravings. Post 8vo.

Aunt Martha's Comer Cupboard. A Story for little Boys

and Girls. By Mary and Elizabeth Kirby. With numerous Engravings.
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The Basket of Flowers. A Tale for the Young. With numerous

Engravings. Post 8vo.

T. NELSON AND SONS, LONDON, EDINBURGH, AND NEW YORK

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